Farmers have stepped up to feed the nation only to find MPs have turned their backs - Sophie McCandlish

By Sophie McCandlish
Published 16th May 2020, 06:00 BST
The amendment to the Agriculture Bill would have safeguarded the UK's high welfare and environment standards in any future trade dealsThe amendment to the Agriculture Bill would have safeguarded the UK's high welfare and environment standards in any future trade deals
The amendment to the Agriculture Bill would have safeguarded the UK's high welfare and environment standards in any future trade deals
It beggars belief that an amendment that would have safeguarded our animal welfare and food- production standards has been voted down by MPs.

This is despite the Government having given its assurances it would protect UK farmers and the British public from cheap imported food produced to standards that in many cases are much lower than here. This same Bill lays out a new payment system which focuses on “public money for public goods”, financially rewarding farmers for improving animal welfare, air and water quality, planting new hedges and taking steps to combat climate change.

All of which have been welcomed by the farming, conservation and welfare organisations.

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So our farming industry will be held to this high standard but food produced to lower standards – some of which would be illegal in the UK – will potentially be welcomed on to our shelves as part of future trade deals.

Since the coronavirus pandemic hit we have seen farmers in all sectors pushed to the wall.