British farm exports to the European Union have dropped almost 40% since Brexit in 2019, reveals analysis by the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) using HMRC data. Key products like poultry exports fell 37.7%, beef by 23.6%, lamb 14%, and dairy 15.6%. NFU president Tom Bradshaw said, "not all of the decline could be put down to Brexit but it showed the scale of damage caused by the UK leaving the European Union." He warned, "Simply reducing friction doesn’t mean we are going to get the EU market back again. There aren’t empty spaces on the shelves with a label saying ‘waiting for British products’.” Bradshaw added it could take years to rebuild demand and the sector needs “real focus.” In response, UK and EU officials plan fortnightly political phone talks to smooth farming and trade relations ahead of a leaders’ summit by mid-2024. Nick Thomas-Symonds, UK Cabinet Office and EU relations minister, and European Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič agreed these talks would help solve issues quickly. A government source said, "Both sides are keen to get positive results and keep building." The NFU also seeks longer transition periods for new trade rules to protect farmers. They want exemptions where the UK has moved faster than the EU, like gene editing of disease-resistant crops. Bradshaw said, "If you genuinely want to adopt this in the EU, don’t put the handbrake on the UK." He highlighted UK advances in vaccines and plant protections approved faster outside the EU. The UK aims for "carve outs and transition arrangements" to avoid legal crops becoming unsellable post-agreement.