trade

The UK Government has so far shown it does not care about protecting our standards, but Ministers can fix their betrayal of farmers by banning low-standard imports in the Trade Bill, says Deidre Brock, SNP food and rural affairs spokesperson.

Trade Ministers are trying to build bridges with farmers, but without legal guarantees to protect our standards, their efforts will not be enough, says Mark Bridgeman, president of the CLA.

In February, a key Government adviser was telling Ministers UK food production is not critically important. Let’s hope the pandemic has shown our trade negotiators the opposite is true, says Neil Farmer, an arable and sheep farmer from the Herefordshire-Worcestershire border.

The Government has announced the launch of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations with two of the world’s largest sheepmeat exporters, sparking concern that the UK’s domestic sheep market could be severely undermined.

The US’s largest beef processors have been ordered to provide information in relation to anti-competitive practices during the pandemic.

Non-Chinese Asian markets could provide major opportunities for British red meat exports, an online AHDB seminar heard.

The farming community has reacted angrily to Farming Minister Victoria Prentis’ failure to take part in a live Cereals webinar on Brexit and coronavirus this week.

Farm groups are very focused on trade policy, but their time would be better spent pushing for farmers to get a fairer price for their food, says Cornish lamb and beef farmer Rona Amiss.

The Conservatives have been clear – they will not allow our food standards to be undermined in trade deals, says Andrew RT Davies, Welsh Tory Shadow Minister for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

The Agriculture Bill contains much good, but I hope we in the Lords can improve it in the areas of transition, productivity, support for tenants, food security and health, says Lord Donald Curry.