Leading UK farming organisations and animal health experts have called for an urgent ban on imports of Brazilian meat. The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) in England and its sister organisations in the devolved administrations wrote to the government on Friday, warning of public health risks.
The concerns relate to the routine use of antibiotics in Brazilian cattle and poultry, as Brazil reportedly failed to demonstrate compliance with EU rules on the issue. The overuse of antibiotics in farming is a significant factor in the rise of superbugs, which are resistant to critical antibiotic medicines for human health.
Next week, the EU is set to ban imports of Brazilian beef and chicken over the same concerns. However, the UK, due to Brexit, is not obliged to follow this action. Imports from Brazil to the UK have increased since Brexit, rising from approximately £3bn in 2021 to £5bn in 2025, with meat being a substantial component. In 2024, Brazil supplied about an eighth of the UK's chicken imports.
Tom Bradshaw, president of the NFU, met with Angela Eagle, Secretary of State for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), in July to request a ban, but the government has not yet agreed. A Defra spokesperson stated that experts are seeking urgent information and assurances from Brazil to ensure high food and animal welfare standards are met, while monitoring the market impact of the EU ban.