Why don’t British standards matter?
On Monday the Government overturned the House of Lords amendment in the Agriculture Bill to protect animal welfare standards in future trade deals.
So why is this Agriculture Bill and politicians not supporting everything our British farmers have worked so hard to achieve? We need Government to stand up for British farmers. Since the coronavirus they have been working hard to feed the nation and this is how they are going to be repaid!
The bill, with its defeated amendments, will now return to the House of Lords and there will be further chances for debate. What does that mean for British farming? I am at a loss in terms of understanding the political objectives. This radical bill sets the future structure for domestic agriculture for the first time since 1947, yet it offers no protection against substandard imports which could mean that things like chlorinated chicken and hormone-filled beef land our shores and fill the supermarket shelves.
Is this what our consumers really want? No!
It should be possible to have high standards at home and sign trade deals with new trading partners who will meet them. No one wants lower quality food on their plates, but there is an increasing risk that this could happen.
Keith Fowles is the owner of KLF Insurance Brokers.
