Nestled in around fields that are packed with Glastonbury revellers each summer, Barber’s Maryland Farm is not only the oldest surviving cheddar maker, it is also the largest exporter to the US of any independent business in the UK.
Among those hit by the global tariffs revealed by President Donald Trump during his “Liberation Day” address from the White House Rose Garden on Wednesday afternoon was a slap in the face for the UK cheese industry.
Giles Barber runs the oldest surviving cheddar producer in the world (Photo: Supplied)
Last year, the UK exported £75m worth of cheese to the US and Barber believes that could fall by 50 per cent or more because of Trump’s tariffs.
Before Trump revealed the new tariffs to be placed on dozens of trading partners around the world, Barber had been expecting duties of 20 per cent plus on his cheddar and had factored in a reduction in sales of “anything from 50 per cent upwards”. There is, therefore, some sense of relief.
“Nevertheless, it’s a very significant extra cost that cannot be absorbed within our own supply chain and will inevitably necessitate price increases in the US market.”
“Our product is significantly different from the US cheeses that are available,” he said. “We’re just 15 miles from the village of cheddar itself, there’s nearly 200 years of history of making cheddar in our business.
“I guess that’s different from anything you can buy in the US. I’m not suggesting that we’ll be completely immune, but history suggest that the US consumer has remained loyal in the face of higher tariffs to our product.”
Stephen Jones, co-founder of Somerdale, said: “We have containers in transit on the ocean that will be arriving in the US this week and, in all likelihood, we will have to pay the tariff when we get there. That cost is going to be passed on to US consumers.”
“When it comes down to a five or six ounce piece of cheese, customers will probably swallow that. It won’t help it, but it will kill us? You will find a bit of consumption going, but Trump’s argument that Americans will buy American doesn’t really work with cheese.
Small cheese producers stop hiring
But it’s not only the big UK cheese exporters that are concerned over Trump’s impact on their industry.
Jane Quicke’s Devon farm could be hit hard by Trump’s tariffs (Source: Matt Austin/ Quicke’s)The business exports between £150,000 and £300,000 of its traditional clothbound cheddar to the US each year, but Trump’s tariffs have its boss worried.
“It’s not just the tariffs. I worry about the US economy more generally with what’s going on there. They’ve been such a great customers for us because they’re curious and they’re willing to try new things.
While the UK butter and cheese production industry employs around 8,000 in the UK, there are also fears that Trump’s tariffs could hit jobs in the sector.
“We’re not currently playing lay-offs because there’s a natural turnover of staff in our business. That means, as people leave, we would just not hire new people, if we could help it.
The UK cheese industry gained £75m in exports to the US last year (Photo: Matt Austin/Quicke’s)
David Lockwood, an executive of the Specialist Cheese Association and chairman of Neal’s Yard Dairy, is also relieved at the level of Trump’s tariff on the UK, but still foresees a fall in sales.
“But last time the tariffs were not blanket across the globe and, this time, we’re in a different position.
“I think the reality of it is that as all prices in the US are going to go up, people are going to have less money to spend on, say, imported cheese. So, I’m not sure how big an impact this will actually be this time around.”
“We’ve modelled the loss in sales this time round on the previous tariffs,” said Barker. “Back then the impact was bigger at the beginning and then demand began to come back.
“So, we would expect to see a bigger impact than last time.”
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( ‘US cheese is crap’: Why cheddar could avoid a Trump tariff meltdown )
Also on site :