“With the grace period ending in less than seven weeks, there is uncertainty and a lack of transparency about how the veterinary medicine supply chain will operate from 1 January 2026 onwards,” said the DUP Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs spokesperson.

From January, Northern Ireland will move to two new schemes for the supply of veterinary medicines - the Veterinary Medicines Health Situations Scheme and the Internal Market Scheme.

Ms Lockhart explained: “The new schemes are a result of the flawed Windsor Framework, and were introduced on the assumption that only a handful of products would be affected.

“I’ve met recently with representatives of the British Veterinary Association’s Northern Ireland branch, who are concerned that more medicines will be affected than the government initially anticipated.

“The true impact will unfold over time, but it is inevitable that certain veterinary medicines will be withdrawn from the NI market entirely. A reduction of up to 40% in medicine pack sizes is also expected.”

She continued: “Potentially, farmers could struggle to access familiar and necessary livestock treatments, pet owners could face higher costs or uncertainty in managing chronic conditions, and vets could be left shouldering the risk without clear guidance.

“Government officials are in possession of the hard facts, including the types and number of products that will be inaccessible in NI, but are reluctant to share the relevant information with stakeholders due to commercial sensitivities.

“Forewarned is forearmed, but we can’t plan ahead if we aren’t trusted with the facts, explained Ms Lockhart who is bound by confidentiality clauses as a member of the government’s Veterinary Medicines Working Group.

The MP added: “Responsibility for managing this post-Brexit transition appears to be split across several departments - DEFRA, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, DAERA, the Northern Ireland Office and the Cabinet Office - yet no single department has accepted clear operational ownership. That leaves Northern Ireland uniquely and unfairly exposed compared to the rest of the UK.

“I’m urging the Labour government to show leadership and act now, rather than waiting for disruption to occur before taking responsibility.”

To bring clarity and accountability, Carla Lockhart MP has tabled a series of urgent Parliamentary Questions seeking answers from the government. They include:

• Who will be operationally responsible for managing any disruption to veterinary medicine supply after 31 December 2025.
• What assessment has been made of the impact on the competitiveness of Northern Ireland farm businesses.
• What steps are being taken to provide clear, timely guidance to vets, farmers, and pet owners in advance of these changes.
• 
  

The MP has also requested an urgent meeting with the Minister responsible, Baroness Hayman.

Carla Lockhart added: “This has been coming down the tracks for some time. The EU extended the ‘grace period’ for three years, and during that time the UK government has failed to reach a satisfactory resolution that recognises Northern Ireland’s place in the Union.

“Yet again, our government has chosen to prioritise placating the EU, rather than protecting the interests of animal health and welfare in Northern Ireland.

“These rules apply to veterinary medicines and vaccines that are already in use throughout GB and NI. Yet, under the terms of the Windsor Framework, the same products will require separate authorisations for GB and NI from January 2026 onwards. The new rules will place significant regulatory and financial burdens on manufacturers, suppliers, vets and farmers.

“The entire situation is farcical, and will undoubtedly lead to a diversion of trade, and possibly, the illicit supply of unregulated veterinary drugs.

I am urging the government to use its ‘trump card’ and trigger article 16 of the protocol agreement. Westminster must step-up now to prevent irreversible damage to NI’s lucrative farming industry.

“Our agri-food sector is world-class,” continued the MP. “It’s success depends on access to the same safe, effective veterinary medicines as the rest of the UK.”

Representatives from the UFU, BVA (NI Branch) and the Animal Health Distributors’ Association gave evidence to peers from the House of Lords at the Northern Ireland Scrutiny Committee at Westminster this week.



During the meeting the policy was described as flawed and absurd. The general consensus was that industry is working ‘in the dark’, while DEFRA is holding back and failing to disclose relevant information or raise awareness of the incoming schemes with vets and farmers.