English As the UK embarks on agreeing a series of new international trade deals with its economic allies, we see it as our duty and responsibility as representatives of UK food producers to ensure that any new trade agreements do not compromise the livelihoods of our members and the wider UK food and farming system.
Free trade deals which lack robust regulations threaten to saturate the UK food market with cheaper goods produced to lower standards, thereby undercutting British farmers and severely destabilising farming livelihoods. We believe that a transition to short, localised supply chains must be supported in government policy, and where imports are needed, they must be held to high production, labour and environmental standards.
UK Agriculture and Trade Bills
We have fought hard for the addition of specific clauses in both the Agriculture Bill and the Trade Bill which would prevent the import of agricultural products produced to lower standards. We urged the government to not to allow imports of factory farmed chlorinated chicken, pork produced using farrowing crates, pesticide laden fruit and vegetables and more. Not only do we believe these products to be unethical, but we are also concerned that low quality imports which are produced cheaply by cutting corners in areas such as hygiene or animal welfare, will result in UK farmers going out business or being pressured to compete by lowering their own standards.
In January 2020 we signed a joint letter with allied food and farming organisations asking the Prime Minister to ensure that the environmental, animal welfare and safety standards of UK food production were not undermined in the development of independent trade policy post-Brexit. You can read that letter yma.
In November 2020 we submitted evidence to the Trade and Agriculture Commission on our recommendations for responsible post-Brexit trade policy. You can read out submission yma.
UK-Australia Trade Deal
You can read our blog post on the UK-Australia Trade deal by clicking yma.
OUR CAMPAIGNS
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