22 Oct 2019 --- The two-decade ban which prevented British beef exports to China finally came to an end earlier this year. Now, a new agreement could spell good fortune for UK meat suppliers looking for new trade deals as Brexit approaches. In June, Chinese government officials signed a protocol agreement to ship beef from the UK for the first time in 20 years marking the end of a ban following the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) outbreak. Approval has been granted for full access in a deal estimated to be worth around £230 million (US$299 million) over the first five years.