MPs urged to hold Government to account on manifesto promise to farmers

The call comes on the back of the Agriculture Bill passing into the House of Lords last week unamended after a motion to safeguard the high environmental and animal welfare standards in the UK was voted down by MPs.

Before the Bill’s third reading leaders from the farming industry, environmental and animal welfare organisations joined together to write to all 650 MPs. In a joint letter they urged support for changes which would ensure food imports in any future trade deals meet the same high production standards legally required of UK farmers.

NFU President, Minette Batters said during the debate last week MPs had said standards of imported food was an issue for the Trade Bill rather than the Agricultural Bill so hoped to see it fully addressed today.

She added that for food and farming, the UK had the potential to be at the very front of the global stage.

But, she warned, we need a trade policy that safeguards our farmers and British food production from the damaging impact of importing food that would be illegal to produce here.

“Failure to do this would undermine our values of animal welfare, environmental protection and food safety, all of which are incredibly important to the public.”

The NFU is also pressing for a Trade, Food and Standards Commission.