BRITAIN'S Brexit trade agreement is causing 'significant problems' in the export of specific animal feed products, resulting in lost revenue to businesses, and delays and increased costs to their Northern Irish and EU customers.

The Agricultural Industries Confederation this week appealed for political intervention to resolve the problems facing the animal feed sector businesses as a result of the current implementation of the EU-UK Trade and Co-operation Agreement.

In a letter sent to Minister for the Cabinet Office Michael Gove, AIC chief executive Robert Sheasby said: “After a month of trying to achieve technical solutions to the export problems faced by feed businesses, it is clear that this issue cannot be resolved without political intervention.

“Problems have been particularly challenging for feeds containing animal byproducts such as milk and milk derived products, gelatine and collagen, hydrolysed proteins, eggs, dicalcium phosphate, chondroitin and glucosamine," he explained. "The requirement to complete Export Health Certificates for feeds containing these products is particularly challenging as suitable EHCs do not exist and GB suppliers are not listed on EU approved establishment lists to supply such feeds into the EU.

“Our members, ranging from multinational businesses to SMEs, have found no way of practically exporting such feeds to the EU and Northern Ireland.”