Recommendation 1

We understand the concerns that UK cattle and sheep farmers have raised about the impact of additional competition from Australian imports under the UK-Australian FTA, but other witnesses advised us that the immediate risk appears to be limited. However, as recent events in Eastern Europe have demonstrated, circumstances can change rapidly leading to sudden shifts in food production and trade patterns. We therefore welcome the Government’s commitment to regular monitoring of the impact of the deal and the information they provided about how this monitoring would be carried out.