A GOVERNMENT minister has visited Worcestershire to unveil the UK's first major foreign trade deal since Brexit in a big boost to farmers.

During a trip to Malvern yesterday, Farming Minister George Eustice announced that British beef and lamb will be back on the menu in America for the first time in 19 years after being banned during the 'mad cow disease' scandal.

The Conservative unveiled the draft agreement with US officials while he was at the Three Counties Showground during a National Sheep Association (NSA) bash.

During the height of the mad cow disease furore, US officials deemed British red meats unfit for consumption and banned it.

Mr Eustice said the Government had reached a draft deal, and after a 60-day consultation period British beef and lamb is now expected to be available to Americans once more by early 2017.

It is Britain's first major foreign trade agreement since the vote to leave the EU.

Mr Eustice said: "The US decision to press ahead with proposals to lift export restrictions on British lamb is great news for our farmers, who are one step closer to gaining access to the lucrative American market worth an estimated £35 million a year.

"Our world-leading food and drink industry is a key part of our nation's economic success.

"In addition to forging good trade deals with our European neighbours, we want to secure more export opportunities in America as well as our close friends in the Commonwealth and other countries around the world."

The minister campaigned for Brexit during last month's referendum campaign, and said his visit was also about instilling confidence into farmers about what lies ahead.

During his trip he spoke to concerned county farmers anxious about how the referendum outcome could impact on rural communities.

Prime Minister Theresa May kept Mr Eustice in his old job and handed Andrea Leadsom the role as Environment Secretary during her reshuffle, meaning DEFRA (Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) is well stocked by Brexit-backing MPs.

NSA chief executive Phil Stocker admitted the EU vote has sparked "incredibly turbulent times" for farmers.

"Mr Eustice comes from a farming background and his family still run a fruit farm in Cornwall, so he's aware of the challenges currently facing farmers," he said.

"In these incredibly turbulent times it's helpful our farming minister has retained his position, as this at least gives us some continuity for the future.

"As he has been joined by Andrea Leadsom it means we now have a ministerial team that supported the case to leave the EU, and should be fully committed to ensuring future decisions support our industry properly."