Brexit and Food: How is it working out?

The Food Programme

BBC

Arts, Food

4.4 • 943 Ratings

🗓️ 29 January 2023

⏱️ 30 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Three years after the UK left the EU, and two years after the end of the transition period, Jaega Wise speaks to some UK food producers about if and how Brexit is still affecting their businesses. The Trade and Cooperation Agreement signed with the EU allows UK businesses tariff-free trade with the EU, but as some quickly discovered at the end of January 2021, "third country" trading rules must be followed. For most in the food sector that has meant more paperwork, having food checked by vets, and longer waits at ports.

Jaega Wise speaks to small, medium and large business owners to find out about the ongoing impact, she hears how cocoa beans and cardboard boxes are being stockpiled in a railway arch, how growers in the Lea Valley are fighting for staff, and how a single test for water quality could shut down exports for weeks.

The programme also hears from Professor of Economics at Bristol University Richard Davies, who explains how he has calculated the additional cost Brexit has added to all our food bills, and why he does not think the added costs are likely to come down. Plus we hear how Northern Irish producers are still being affected by the Protocol.

Despite all this, the Food and Drink Federation says trade is almost back to where it was before Brexit, but there are still many challenges that are impacting confidence in the industry.

Presented by Jaega Wise Produced in Bristol by Natalie Donovan

Transcript

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0:00.0	You don't need us to tell you there's a general election coming.
0:04.7	So what does it mean for you?
0:06.7	Every day on newscast we dissect the big talking points, the ones that you want to know more about.
0:12.4	With our book of contacts, we talk directly to the people you want to hear from.
0:16.8	And with help from some of the best BBC journalists,
0:19.5	we'll untangle the stories that matter to you.
0:23.0	Join me, Laura Kunsberg, Adam Fleming, Chris Mason and Patty O'Connell for our daily
0:28.4	podcast.
0:29.4	Newscast, listen on BBC Sounds. BBC Sounds. BBC Sounds, music radio podcasts.
0:38.0	Hello, you've downloaded a podcast of BBC Radio 4's The Food Programme.
0:43.0	Welcome to our world, from cooking to culture, politics to pleasure.
0:48.0	We hope you enjoy it.
0:49.0	The most important thing to say tonight is that this is not an end but a beginning. I think
0:54.5	it's pretty much dropped off public consciousness and it's not surprising. I
0:58.7	mean there's been some pretty big news stories. I'd love to say we've managed to find a solution but it just
1:04.5	seems more challenging than ever. This is the moment when the dawn breaks and the
1:08.7	curtain goes up. Post-transition period it takes up to five weeks to get cocoa beans in.
1:15.0	Whatever the bumps in the road ahead, I know that we will succeed.
1:19.0	We're exporting more now that we were before Brexit and our export sales are seeing growth.
1:25.0	We do have control of what we pay farmers for now.
1:28.0	We should in theory be able to create farming subsidies that actually give us a head start in things like the nature crisis
1:35.1	in mitigating climate.
	...

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