EU and UK negotiators Michel Barnier and David Frost will today (29th June) resume negotiations over a UK-EU trade deal after a fortnight’s break, with the discussions including a series of face-to-face meetings on the areas of greatest concession - fisheries, the level-playing field and criminal justice cooperation.

The deadline to extend the Brexit transition period expires on Wednesday, but it is hoped that further time will be agreed and granted if needed given the dire economic repercussions of a hard Brexit for both the EU and the UK.

With just six months to go until the end of the transition period, the lack of any meaningful progress towards a deal has left the Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) extremely concerned, not least given the impact of the coronavirus and possible further impacts of further spikes and lockdowns on the economy.

During the third reading of the Agriculture Bill in the House of Commons on the 13th May 2020, an attempt by EFRA Committee Chairman Neil Parish to introduce a clause requiring that any agricultural or food product imported into the UK under a trade agreement be produced to animal health and welfare, plant health and environmental protection standards equivalent to those in the UK was opposed by the UK Government and defeated.

The FUW had recommended just such an addition, as well as highlighting a broad range of other concerns, in write and oral evidence during the Commons Committee Stage in February and March.

The rejection of Parish’s amendment has hugely angered farmers and consumers alike, not least given that the UK Government has committed to such a principle in numerous statements, and that maintaining UK standards and protecting consumers, farmers and food producers from sub-standard imports has cross-party support.

The Farmers’ Union of Wales has written to Economy Minister, Ken Skates, following the news that British Wool (the new name for the British Wool Marketing Board) has been denied support through the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CIBLs).

The pandemic has led to a significant drop in demand for wool as the global market for crossbred wool has been shut since February this year. The busiest selling period for GB and Welsh wool is between February and May each year and the impact of the pandemic on wool sales has therefore been particularly acute.

In its letter, the FUW highlighted the impact that the closure of wool markets would have on the price received by sheep farmers for their wool and highlighted that sheep producers must still pay for this year's shearing costs.