UK beef exporters will enter 2026 with guaranteed access to the US market after a 13,000-tonne reciprocal beef quota officially came into force on 1 January.
Confirmation published in the US Federal Register has formalised the tariff rate quota, giving British producers ringfenced access for high-quality beef exports to the United States each year. The move provides long-sought certainty for UK exporters targeting the US market.
The quota stems from the UK-USA Economic Prosperity Deal agreed in May 2025, which set out reciprocal market access alongside wider trade measures.
While the agreement delivers new opportunities for British beef, it also sits within ongoing negotiations over agricultural access on both sides of the Atlantic.
NFU president Tom Bradshaw welcomed the confirmation but warned that pressure from the US remains. “While this is undoubtedly good news, trade talks continue with the US pushing for even greater access to our market for their agricultural produce,” he said.
He said the sector’s position had been clear throughout negotiations. “We have been clear that British agriculture has nothing left to give,” Bradshaw said, adding that the government had so far “stood firm, safeguarding our most sensitive farming sectors and upholding our high animal welfare, environmental and food safety standards”.
Bradshaw also cautioned against future concessions as domestic policy moves towards higher regulation. “With the recently published Animal Health and Welfare Strategy looking to implement ever higher domestic standards, it would be irresponsible if the government does not take agriculture off the negotiating table,” he said.
Under the deal, the UK agreed to new ringfenced access for 13,000 tonnes of hormone-free US beef, alongside improved terms for an existing 1,000-tonne quota by cutting the in-quota tariff from 20% to zero, and a new duty-free quota of 1.4 billion litres of US ethanol.
In return, the US agreed to remove 25% tariffs on steel and aluminium, introduce a quota of 100,000 cars subject to a 10% duty, and provide ringfenced access for UK beef through the 13,000-tonne quota, subject to an in-quota duty of between 4% and 10%.
However, broader US tariffs remain in place, including an additional 10% reciprocal tariff that continues to apply to all UK exports to the United States. These were announced by President Donald Trump in April, who said they were intended to address trade imbalances.
As the quota takes effect, exporters and policymakers will be watching closely to see how quickly UK beef can capitalise on the access secured, and whether agriculture remains protected as wider trade talks with the US continue.
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