Agri-food goods would be an easy target for Donald Trump to hit with exports tariffs if he were elected US president and took a hard line on free trade with Europe, an ex-EU trade negotiator has warned.

John Clarke stated that while the possibility of a second Trump presidency is not certain, and his rhetoric is often stronger than policy, agri-food exports could come under fire if the EU is seen to have a competitive advantage over the US

“Agriculture is a sector with very high visibility and it is a very easy target for tariffs on Europe,” he said.

“A lot of people in the US tell me that his bite is worse that his bark but he is no friend of Europe’s and if he feels that he is outgunned, he may take illegal action on some EU exports which is not good news.”

Clarke will speak at Agricultural Science Association’s 2024 conference on 5 September.