UK farmers will ask shoppers to choose their product over Australian

The country's sheep farmers claim they have been insulted by the head of an expert panel assembled by the government after they raised fears about a flood of imports from Australia "stealing" local markets.

The National Sheep Association says the new deals with Australia and also with New Zealand give the "theoretic possibility" they could supply the UK's total sheepmeat consumption and squeeze them out.

In response to the fears of local farmers, the UK investigated complaints about the different farming standards used in Australia to produce meat, fibre and grains more cheaply than home-grown product.

In particular the UK farmers highlighted differing animal welfare standards which were accepted practice in Australia, such as mulesing of sheep, hot branding of cattle and even some chemicals used on crops.

That independent UK panel from the Trade and Agriculture Commission produced a detailed report for the government which the sheep farmers claim dismissed their concerns.

NSA chief executive Phil Stocker said farmers' worries "have been undermined and insulted" by the TAC report.

Mr Stocker said farmers disagreed with the TAC's assessment that differences between the nation's farming standards are not significant or important, and that industry concerns have been over exaggerated.

He said serious health and welfare issues such as mulesing, transport distances, space in transit, and antibiotic use have been dismissed as minute details that are overexaggerated by UK sheep producers.

MORE READING: Aussie farmers investigated before deal signed.

"Not only does this attitude of the TAC undermine the extremely high welfare standards UK producers uphold but is an insult to UK consumers, who value our product and it's high production standards," Mr Stocker said.

"Segregation in supply chains could well ensure goods imported to the UK may be produced to accepted standards but it does little to affect wider production standards in Australia.

"The TAC assessment compares welfare standards to cost only rather than considering the values demanded of UK farmers by UK consumers."

The NSA responded to negotiations over the free trade deal with Australia earlier this year highlighting the differences, issues and "poor opportunity" it provided for UK producers.

"The association now believes the issues seem to have been brushed off as a minor inconvenience creating yet another blow to UK producers and compounding the feeling that the evidence of UK farmers and producers is not being listened to."

Mr Stocker said his members were "highly offended" when TAC chair Professor Lorand Bartels publicly stated the farming industry had overreacted to the risks of the deal.

Mr Stocker agreed there was likely to be very little immediate risk to UK farmers but it had opened UK sheep farmers to risk in years to come "considering the political, climate, and trade related volatility that we are seeing globally".

"If our government isn't willing to protect our domestic industries, backed up by advice from the TAC, then it will, as usual, be down to industry to protect itself by communicating the attributes of British products."

The UK's National Farmers Union has also criticised the deal, saying its government "missed an opportunity" to reach a world class free trade deal with Australia.

It is another UK farming group which has raised concerns over Australian food imports they say are produced to lower environmental and animal welfare standards.

Also, comments by outgoing Australian high commissioner George Brandis have served to inflame the issue yet further.

Mr Brandis told the local media British farmers held a "bizarre" and outdated stance on free trade as they had nothing to fear.

The UK government has said the FTA deal with Australia would unlock $A18 billion of additional trade while eliminating tariffs on all UK exports.

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