The National Farmers’ Union (NFU), the main organization representing UK farmers, called on the government to impose a precautionary ban on imports of Brazilian beef and chicken if Brazil fails to demonstrate to European authorities that its exports comply with antimicrobial-use standards.
The request comes as the European Commission requires Brazil to provide evidence that meat exported to the bloc does not come from animals treated with antibiotics reserved for human medicine or with growth promoters, with a deadline of September 3, 2026.
The NFU argues that the UK should follow the same precautionary principle adopted by the EU. The organization noted that the use of antibiotics as growth promoters has been banned in the country since 2006, that UK agriculture has reduced antibiotic use by 60% since 2014 and cut the use of antimicrobials considered critical for human health by 83%. It also questioned the fact that only 94 samples are tested annually at the border for veterinary drug residues in imported products, a number it considers insufficient given the scale of international trade.
The organization also warned about the risk of trade diversion. If the EU restricts Brazilian imports and the UK does not follow suit, some of the beef and chicken volumes originally destined for Europe could be redirected to the British market, increasing pressure on local producers. In 2025, Brazil was the EU’s largest chicken supplier, with 211 thousand tons exported to the bloc, and the second-largest supplier of fresh beef, with a total of 92,363 tons shipped to Europe.
Source: Agriland
