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The EU is to spend 500 million Euros to help farmers facing high fertiliser and energy prices. It’s part of the response to the war in Ukraine and will see support for pig farmers and measures to allow fallow land to be used to grow protein crops to help avert a scarcity of animal feed. In the UK the Government has confirmed it will remove the 25% tariff on maize imported from the USA from June, to help reduce feed cost bills for livestock farmers. The EU removed the tariff in January. However campaigners are worried that the industry will move away from sustainable practices towards more intensive systems.

The UK’s Free Trade Agreement with Australia is being scrutinized by the Trade and Agriculture Commission which is due to give its verdict on the deal later this week. The FTA was signed at the end of last year. The UK Government hailed it as ‘world class deal’ and the Australians called it a ‘once in a generation deal’. However food and farming business here have been less enthusiastic. The deal will remove all import tariffs on meat from Australia after 15 years. UK farmers are concerned that different welfare standards will mean they could undercut by cheaper imports produced in ways which wouldn’t be allowed here.

Presenter = Charlotte Smith
Producer = Rebecca Rooney