“The UFU have had a good working relationship with BAB over the past 50 years and continue to work closely with the staff in Brussels on a range of important issues affecting our members in Northern Ireland (NI).
Due to Brexit and the implementation of the NI Protocol, NI remains within the European Union (EU) regulatory zone, while Great Britain (GB) is now considered a ‘third country’ outside the EU, creating difficulties within our internal market. This includes restrictions and checks on agricultural produce, animals and plants moving from GB to NI.
Although we have remained, we have no say in the EU regulatory controls directly. Therefore, it has never been more critical to have a presence in the BAB office to maintain and build contacts across Europe. It’s key to ensuring that the concerns of NI farmers are taken into account throughout the decision-making process and with that in mind, we now have a parliamentary officer who travels to Brussels regularly and liaises with politicians.”