Vote to Leave EU Could Lead to Embargo on Meat Exports into Europe, Claims UK Prime Minister

03 Jun 2016 --- If Britain votes to leave the European Union it could have dire consequences for the food industry, according to UK prime minister David Cameron, who last night inferred that Britain could potentially be cut off from selling beef and lamb into European markets.

Speaking on a live TV debate on the impending vote on whether Britain should remain in the EU, Cameron said that if Britain does vote to leave then it could potentially lead to a food embargo with other EU countries, similar to the current embargo with the US.

The US, who Britain doesn’t have a trading deal with, currently does not import meats such as beef and lamb from the UK. 

This is because of a risk of the BSE (Bovine spongiform encephalopathy)- following the BSE scare in Britain 20 years ago . 

BSE can have a debilitating effect on the brain and there are fears that it can get into the human food chain through bones. 

Cameron said: “I do think there are real risks from leaving. I am genuinely worried about Britain leaving the single market. You have to have a trade deal.”

“We don't have a trade deal with America. When the French banned our beef because of the beef on the bone issue, we took them to court in Europe, we got the ban lifted and we sell our beef into Europe. “

“Do you know how much beef we sell into American today? We sell no beef to America, we sell no lamb to America. Trade deals are really important to make sure our farmers have jobs."

Questioned why Britain doesn't expert beef to the US, Cameron said: “because they won't take it, because they are still maintaining the ban because of what happened 20 years ago. There farmers are lobbying Congress and saying' don't lift the ban because it bad for us.'"