The US will open its doors to British lamb in the new year following two decades of restrictions, in a deal estimated to be worth £37 million in the first five years of trade.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) confirmed it has amended the rule which currently prevents imports of lamb from the UK into the US.
The amended “small ruminant rule” will come into force on 3 January 2022, the UK and US governments said.
The rule was introduced more than 20 years ago banning imports of lamb from countries where scrapie had been identified.
The decision comes after President Biden committed to lift the ban in a meeting with Prime Minister Boris Johnson in September.
It means that over 300 million US consumers will soon be able to purchase British lamb, in a deal worth £37 million in the first five years of trade.
In a call earlier today with his US counterpart Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, Defra Secretary George Eustice expressed his delight at the news.
“Today’s great news follows years of negotiations and builds on the success in securing the resumption of UK beef exports to the US," Mr Eustice said.
"UK lamb is renowned for its high quality, food safety and welfare standards. Millions of US consumers will now be able to enjoy British lamb as early as next year.
“The US market for lamb is growing as consumer trends change and there are now new opportunities for farmers and meat processors in this market."
The small ruminant rule (SRR) previously restricted access to the US market for all sheep meat from the UK, as well as a number of other countries including EU member states and Canada.
The news has been welcomed by farming groups, as the UK exported £436 million worth of lamb to the world last year and over £29 million worth of meat to the US.
Trade figures show that the US is the second-largest importer of lamb and mutton in the world.
NFU President Minette Batters said the union welcomed the export opportunity, as British lamb is a 'fantastic, sustainable product'.
"[It] is recognised around the world for its quality and we know there is demand for it in the US," she said.
“This is exactly the sort of export opportunity we need to see the government pursuing and is something we strongly support.
"This is a positive step for Britain’s lamb producers and we would urge the government to continue opening up new markets around the world.”
