United in anger over ‘failures’

The UK government’s failure to give a legislative commitment to safeguarding the high production, welfare and environmental standards adopted by the country’s farmers in the UK Agriculture Bill was deemed “extremely disappointing” by industry leaders.

While the passing of the landmark bill unamended was no surprise, farming groups said that the huge opportunity offered by this “once in a lifetime” piece of legislation to safeguard the sustainability and integrity of domestic food production had been missed.

“As we embark on negotiating trade deals, it is hugely disappointing that the government did not take this opportunity to enshrine a clear commitment to preventing substandard imports undercutting domestic food produced to high British farming standards,” said Eleanor Kay, policy adviser at Scottish Land & Estates.

The issue, she said, had united farming, consumer, environmental and animal welfare organisations – all of whom sought a commitment in law to protect the country’s high food standards.

Kay pointed out that if the issue wasn‘t addressed, producers faced the very real prospect of British farming being undermined by imported food produced to a standard which would be unacceptable and illegal in the UK.

She said the call for a level playing field would continue as the bill went through the Lords and as other trade legislation passed through parliament.

NFU Scotland’s policy director Jonnie Hall was similarly disappointed but said that some encouragement could be taken from those MPS who argued so strongly yesterday for amendments. He added that the union would also continue to press the case in the Lords.