The National Sheep Association (NSA) is urging policymakers to ensure sheep farmers are being heard amidst post-Brexit reset negotiations.

The UK Government and the EU are currently negotiating a post-Brexit reset, which is said to be worth up to £9 billion to the UK economy by 2040.

Agriculture is expected to be covered by a new arrangement in 2027, with the potential to streamline the movement of livestock products between the UK and the EU and facilitate trade in live animals and genetics.

The NSA is calling for any trade agreements to recognise what it referred to as the "unique structures" of UK sheep farming.

The association believes an agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures could bring benefits for trade and food access.

However, it said "the structures and practices that underpin UK farming" must stay in place, and high standards of animal welfare maintained..

NSA

NSA joined a UK export discussion with several other farming and trade organisations, outlining preparations needed to enable livestock trading once regulatory alignment takes place.

A key concern is for the livestock industry is the potential impact of EU animal welfare in transport rules.

This includes issues such as journey times; whether time spent at markets counts towards permitted journey times; temperature requirements during transit; and trailer headroom.

Chief executive for NSA, Phil Stocker said success depends on practical interpretation of the regulations that reflects the way the industry works.

He added: “There is good reason why breeding and store animals move around the UK, while the current structure of the abattoir network means we often have to travel long distances to slaughter.”

He continued by saying that the NSA fully supports the agriculture industry having high welfare standard, it also needs to be able to "function professionally at scale".

Stocker uses headroom as an example of why practical approaches are essential when transporting livestock.

“The diversity of breeds and sizes of sheep in Britain means that trailers and lorries cannot all allow for standard measurements of headroom in transit without major investment or a reduction in transport efficiency," the NSA chief executive said.