TV chef Jamie Oliver backs farmer's calls to protect food standards

An open letter, written by the TV chef to Boris Johnson came off the back of the Agriculture Bill passing through the House of Commons without an amendment to protect British food standards in any future trade deals.

And it followed the second reading of the Trade Bill which would also be an opportunity to put safeguards in place.

There was widespread support from the farming industry, environmental and animal welfare NGOs and MPs for changes to the Agriculture Bill which would ensure food imports in any future trade deals meet the same high production standards that are legally required of UK farmers.

MPs were whipped to vote down the amendment and in the letter printed in the Mail on Sunday and shared on social media, Mr Oliver said without safeguards the Government would be “opening the floodgates to food which would be illegal here”.

He told the Prime Minister: “It is in your power to map out an intelligent structure where we maintain Britain’s high standards but also retain the ability to strike trade deals that are good for the economy.”

Going on to say that in his opinion some of the biggest emerging economies are hungry for a trusted and safe food supply and this was where Britain could flourish, he also said that we want trade but not “at any cost”.

Before the Trade Bill was debated for the second time on May 20, the NFU urged MPs to ask the Government how it intends to honour its manifesto pledge that British farming’s high environmental and animal welfare standards will not be undermined in future trade policy.

The National Farmers’ Union has called for a for a commission to review policy and develop solutions to promote free trade while holding all food imports to UK standards.

NFU President Minette Batters said it would be an “eminently sensible approach” aimed at addressing “the many complex challenges in ensuring our high production standards are safeguarded within our future trade policy”.

A petition has been set up by the NFU on its website www.nfuonline.com which urges the Government to protect the production standards which go into the food on our plates.

The petition, which has amassed 200,000 signatories, states that it wants to ensure that all food eaten in the UK – whether in our homes, schools, hospitals, restaurants or from shops – is produced in a way that matches the high standards of production expected of UK farmers.

It goes on to outline the high standards of safety and welfare farmers in the UK are held to along with the UK farming ambition of being net zero in greenhouse gas emissions by 2040.

There are very strict controls on farming methods allowed in the UK and I expect the same of all food which is imported here so the food I eat is as safe, traceable and produced to high welfare and environmental standards, the petition states.

Food assurance scheme Red Tractor has said it is rolling out new labelling which will give more information on the farming method used in food production.