No-deal Brexit may become disaster for sheep industry

A no-deal Brexit could result in market shutdowns similar to those experienced in the 2001 foot-and-mouth disease outbreak.

That was the warning from National Sheep Association (NSA) Scotland development officer, George Milne, at the organisation’s annual general meeting.

Mr Milne – a farmer from Fife who has worked for the association for 20 years – said many farmers and crofters were failing to understand the severity of what a no-deal Brexit could mean for the sector.

He fears failure to gain access to European markets, which are particularly vital for the lamb sector, could result in a similar level of market disruption as experience in 2001.

Mr Milne said: “I don’t think all sheep farmers are aware of the consequences of what a no-deal will put us into.

“Those farming in 2001 when foot-and-mouth broke out will remember that our export markets closed, we couldn’t move sheep and we ended up with a welfare scheme.

“Under a no-deal Brexit that is probably what will be the outcome and the stark warning is that this could last a damn long time.”

He said lamb export markets, export certification and export labels needed to be “sorted out” to ensure a continuation of lamb trade with Europe after Brexit.

Mr Milne added: “The industry is not prepared. The consequences here could change the sheep industry going forward and the way it’s been run and seen in the past forever.”

NSA Scotland chairman and Aberdeenshire farmer, John Fyall, said uncertainty caused by Brexit was already knocking farmer confidence.