Food and Agriculture Commission being put on a statutory footing to help protect food standards

The Trade and Agriculture Commission, which represents UK farmers, retailers and consumers is being extended past its original six month term to three years through the Trade Bill.

The Government’s decision to give the commission a “more active role through a new legislative underpinning”, to be reviewed every three years, will give “farmers a stronger voice in UK trade policy”, the Department for International Trade (DIT) said.

The decision was welcomed by Yorkshire Conservative Peer and campaigner, Anne McIntosh who said: “I am pleased that the Government has listened to and acted on concerns expressed by farmers, consumers, environmental groups and parliamentarians over the potential impact on our farmers of future trade deals. I welcome in particular the fact the Government is putting animal welfare, food production and environmental standards at the heart of its trade policy as we go forward.”

The move was described by the National Farmer’s Union as a “landmark moment”.

The DIT said the Commission, which was originally launched in July, will produce a report on the impact on animal welfare and agriculture of each free trade deal the Government signs after the end of the EU transition period on January 1 2021.

This will be laid in Parliament before the start of the 21-day scrutiny period under the terms of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act.

On Friday, the Government tabled an amendment to the Agriculture Bill, due to come back to the Commons on Wednesday, to increase parliamentary scrutiny of free trade agreements.

The DIT said this will place a duty on the Government to report to Parliament on “whether, or to what extent, commitments in new free trade agreements relating to agricultural goods are consistent with maintaining UK levels of statutory protection in relation to human, animal and plant life and health, animal welfare and environmental protection”.

International Trade Secretary Liz Truss said: "I will never sign up to anything that threatens their (farmers') ability to compete, or that undermines their high standards."

Environment Secretary George Eustice added: "By putting the Trade and Agriculture Commission on a statutory footing, we are ensuring that the voices of our farmers, as well as those of consumers and key environmental and animal welfare groups, continue to be heard while we are in the process of scrutinising future trade deals."

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