The NFU urged ministers to secure a workable SPS agreement with the EU, warning that poorly managed coordination risks disrupting food production unless farmers are given clear transitions and key exemptions.
Consultations on the proposed SPS agreement are part of the wider EU reset process, which aims to reduce post-Brexit agricultural trade barriers by aligning certain UK rules with EU rules.
In return, Brussels is seeking legally guaranteed adjustments in certain sanitary and phytosanitary areas to justify the removal of export certificates, border checks and restrictions on certain UK products.
The EU remains the UK’s largest agricultural export market, making smoother, less frictional trade relations particularly important for livestock, dairy, horticulture and seed producers.
SPS rules govern how animals, plants, and food products move between countries, so the changes directly impact agricultural businesses that rely on exports of livestock, grain, fresh produce, and processed products.
Since Brexit, exporters have had to deal with new certifications, phytosanitary documentation and veterinary inspections, adding costs and delays to the fresh produce supply chain.
The divergence between UK and EU rules has widened since 2021, with differences over pesticide approvals, seed regulations and veterinary medicines.
This widening regulatory gap is creating real headaches for many producers, especially those with short-lived produce, breeding livestock, or specialty plant materials.
The NFU said the UK needs to set out phased timetables for different policy areas and negotiate a variable pace of transition. The paper argues that some sectors, such as horticulture that rely on imported inputs, could be restructured more quickly, while others will take longer.
Plant protection products are an important example. Although some products were approved after Brexit, they are not approved in the EU. This means that immediate adjustments would create sudden limitations for growers.
The union is also seeking exemptions from dynamic adjustments in certain areas, such as protecting access to precision breeding, protecting the UK’s bovine tuberculosis cattle vaccination program and ensuring technical adaptation to mycotoxin regulations, which is particularly important given the UK’s maritime climate and different mycotoxin pressures compared to continental Europe.
Livestock producers are also concerned about potential changes to veterinary drug regulations that will impact antimicrobial resistance protocols.
NFU chairman Tom Bradshaw said a successful SPS deal must balance regulation with the practical realities of food production. “
“Cooperation in many areas will help reduce friction and free trade,” he said. “However, some areas will need to be treated carefully to minimize disruption to the UK’s agricultural sector, and others may need to be eliminated altogether.”
He added that the union had given government negotiators “clear instructions” on transitions and exemptions needed to protect innovation, animal health and productivity.
Bradshaw warned that the UK’s food production must not be restricted by rules that “limit our ambitions for food production” and stressed that the UK must maintain a meaningful role in shaping future regulatory decisions.
The broader political context adds to the urgency. The EU reset reflects renewed efforts by both sides to stabilize trade relations after years of friction. For the EU, ensuring that imported goods meet comparable biosecurity and food safety standards is essential to protecting the single market.
For Britain, the cost of inaction is clear. Without a deal, exporters will continue to face a series of post-Brexit checks and the divergence is likely to widen further, potentially increasing long-term pressure on the competitiveness of key sectors from livestock to horticulture.
“It’s up to the government to support farmers at the negotiating table,” Mr Bradshaw said, adding that the NFU would remain closely involved as negotiations progress.
