Beef from the UK could soon be heading to America after Government officials agreed the next step of an export deal worth about £66 million, over the first five years.
The US has agreed to uphold equivalent standards on the UK’s disease control measures and will be shipped after the final administrative details are finalised.
It comes after an ongoing process of negotiations between AHDB in partnership with Defra, Animal and Plant
Health Agency (APHA), Food Standards Agency (FSA), Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) and other prominent organisations within the industry.
AHDB international market development direct Dr Phil Hadley said: “This is another fantastic boost for the industry and today’s announcement is a crucial step in our ambitions to gain market access for our beef and lamb, to go with our existing pork trade, to the all-important market.”
Inspections of US facilities were carried out and financed from a £2 million funding pot made up of AHDB red meat levies and included tours of five beef sites, four pork and lamb, as well as several laboratories.
NFU livestock board chairman Richard Finley welcomed the proposed export deal, saying: “In Britain, we produce some of the most climate-friendly and safest beef in the world, produced to incredibly high welfare standards.
“It is great to see a new market opening up for our products.”
Mr Finley highlighted farmers would ‘make the most’ of the opportunity to supply to one of the ‘biggest markets in the world’.
He said: “We will continue to work with AHDB to ensure British beef gets the promotion it deserves.”