North Suffolk plant business says new border checks could spell the end for them
Products that are deemed "medium-risk" or higher will face physical checks at the Port of Dover and the Eurotunnel
The owner of a plant business in North Suffolk is telling us new Brexit border checks could force him to close up shop for good.
Fresh food and plant products from the EU are now subject to physical inspections, with companies now having to pay up to ÂŁ145 to import some goods.
"It's something I've been worried about for months"
Phil Rusted is from Practical Plants, based in Hinderclay:
"I think we are going to have instant inflation. We're looking at a 5% to 10% price increase overnight for our customers, along with delays for everyone.
"It could be disastrous and spell the end for the business, it's something I've been worried about for months. We need clear rules, clear guidelines and we need to know what our costs are.
"I don't think this can be fixed or firmed up at all. We are stuck in this situation for now and hopefully by time October comes round and all the checks are in place and everything is a bit clearer, next year will be better."
What does this all mean?
Products that are deemed "medium-risk" or higher will face physical, documentary and identity checks at the Port of Dover and the Eurotunnel, as part of something called 'the Border Target Operating Model'.
Suppliers and even the Government have previously admitted this will lead to some price rises over the next three years.
Earlier this month, the Cold Chain Federation urged the Government to once again delay introducing the checks, with chief executive Phil Pluck saying the BTOM was "a broken model".
He said: "Without listening to the experts, the Government will seriously damage business confidence in the UK and add costs to consumers' weekly shop."
The Government has said the checks will only increase food prices by 0.2% over the next three years, which farming minister Sir Mark Spencer told MPs on Monday was "a small price to pay for making sure that we are safe and protected" and negligible compared to the ÂŁ12 billion cost of an outbreak of foot and mouth disease.
But Labour MP Stella Creasy told the Commons that the impact could be significantly higher, and described the measures as a "Brexit border tax" that could add ÂŁ8 a month to the average food shop.
What's the Government said on this?
Ministers have insisted the checks are necessary to protect the UK from diseases such as African Swine Fever, which is widespread in some parts of Europe.
Cabinet Office minister Baroness Neville-Rolfe said: "It is essential that we introduce these global, risk-based checks to improve the UK's biosecurity. We cannot continue with temporary measures which leave the UK open to threats from diseases and could do considerable damage to our livelihoods, our economy and our farming industry.
"We have listened to all parts of industry every step of the way and will continue to support them to implement these changes as smoothly as possible."
The Port of Dover has said the new checks will not create additional delays at the port itself as they are carried out at a separate facility in Sevington, near Ashford.
On Tuesday, the Government also announced two pilots to test whether checks could be carried out away from the border, and if new technologies could be used to reduce the number of checks needed.