During the third reading of the Agriculture Bill in the House of Commons on the 13th May 2020, an attempt by EFRA Committee Chairman Neil Parish to introduce a clause requiring that any agricultural or food product imported into the UK under a trade agreement be produced to animal health and welfare, plant health and environmental protection standards equivalent to those in the UK was opposed by the UK Government and defeated.
The FUW had recommended just such an addition, as well as highlighting a broad range of other concerns, in write and oral evidence during the Commons Committee Stage in February and March.
The rejection of Parish’s amendment has hugely angered farmers and consumers alike, not least given that the UK Government has committed to such a principle in numerous statements, and that maintaining UK standards and protecting consumers, farmers and food producers from sub-standard imports has cross-party support.
The coronavirus pandemic has made clear to consumers and politicians how supply chains and food security can be rapidly disrupted by global emergencies. Any moves that undermine UK farmers and food producers - and therefore our food security - by favouring imports produced to lower standards would clearly be shortsighted.
The Bill is now being considered by the House of Lords, and had its Second Reading on June 10th. It will now proceed to the Lords Committee stage before returning to the Lords and Commons later this year.
In a letter to members of the House of Lords, the FUW emphasised that, for many years, the EU has sought to maintain high standards of production in EU countries and the equivalence of food entering the EU Single Market from countries with which it has struck trade deals.
The letter continued that it would be a sad indictment of the Brexit process and those who made numerous promises regarding protecting our markets and standards after the Withdrawal Period if the UK Parliament were to deliberately or inadvertently allow a lowering of current standards and instigate a ‘race to the bottom’ at a time when animal welfare, climate change, environmental and food safety issues are at the top of agendas across the globe. The FUW welcomes the fact that our concerns were reflected in speeches from across the political spectrum as well as from independent members of the House of Lords.
Alongside concerns relating to the importation of lower standard produce, a wider range of concerns relating to the UK Agriculture BIll were also discussed recently in a meeting between the President and Secretary of State George Eustice, and also in discussions with the Labour Shadow DEFRA team.
Amongst these is a general the concern that there are many important aspects of the Bill - aside from those relating to food imports - that also deserve the attention of the Lords, many of which have been raised in detailed FUW evidence to committees in Westminster and Cardiff Bay.
The FUW continues to meet with key individuals and bodies to express our position on this issue and is encouraging members to write to their MP. Further information and tools have been provided for members via the union website.