West farmers angry at ‘betrayal’ by MPs in Agriculture Bill vote
WEST farmers have expressed their outrage as MPs rejected an amendment to the Agriculture Bill which would have banned low-standard imports.
Not a single Tory MP representing seats in rural constituencies in Somerset, Gloucestershire or Wiltshire voted against the party line in Monday night’s vote.
In the South West, only Simon Hoare, MP for North Dorset, and Neil Parish, MP for Tiverton and Honiton, were among the 14 Tories who voted alongside the Opposition.
One of the West’s highest profile farmers was among those who criticised MPs for not acting to enshrine Britain’s exemplar food production and animal welfare standards in law.
Tim Mead, owner of Yeo Valley Organic, said: “It’s extremely concerning that the latest amendments to the agriculture bill were rejected, as these aimed to ensure the standards of food imports, climate change and pesticides and protect the livelihoods of British farmers.
“This ruling works against our commitments for mitigating climate change and the green recovery.”
National Sheep Association chief executive Phil Stocker said: “This amendment provided opportunity to uphold and protect our animal welfare standards, some of the highest in the world. With this being rejected by MPs last night there is now the very real risk, despite Government’s assurances, that the UK’s standards that our nation’s farmers are proud to work to, could be undermined by lower standard imports.”
Despite protests from high-profile campaigners and the 14 Conservatives who rebelled to support the protections, the House of Lords clause fell by 332 votes to 279 when coming before the House of Commons on Monday evening.
Tabled by Lord Grantchester, it sought a “requirement for agricultural food and imports to meet domestic standards” from January 1, 2021.
Defending the Government’s refusal to back the amendment, Environment Secretary George Eustice said the legal protection “wasn’t necessary” and assurances had already been given to the National
Farmers’ Union (NFU) that it would “protect and uphold our standards”.
Farmers and industry campaigners in the West have repeatedly warned of the dangers of opening the UK’s borders to inferior quality imports, produced to standards not permitted by law in the UK.
Reacting to the vote, Devon farmer Jilly Greed, co-founder of Ladies in Beef and the Suckler Beef Producers Association, said South West farmers have worked “incredibly hard” to achieve environmental good practice and high animal welfare standards over many years – which the public “overwhelmingly support”.
Mrs Greed, who farms near Exeter, said: “To find our commitment and long term investment so blithely and shamefully voted away by Conservative MPs last evening, is an utter betrayal, including those MPs who chose to abstain.
“It’s Brexit trade deal desperation, at any cost. Do not doubt for any moment substandard crops and beef, illegal to produce here, will be slipped in through the back door.
“I doubt the farming community will be quite so trusting of a Brexitdriven Prime Minister when it comes to the next general election and the rural vote.”
Somerton and Frome MP David Warburton yesterday defended voting against the amendments.
He said: “These amendments are not about maintaining existing safety standards but would, instead, impose new, significantly more onerous requirements for import.
“That is not necessarily a bad thing in itself. It’s absolutely vital that we strike a balance between preserving access to global food markets and protecting domestic consumers and producers.
“But these amendments – while aiming at the laudable goal of ensuring the UK maintains its rigorous standards – would have several undesirable consequences. They would not simply maintain a bar to import for products which are unsafe or produced using methods we would regard as cruel or environmentally damaging, but render many existing imports illegal.”
The Agriculture Bill, with its voteddown amendments, will now return to the House of Lords and there will be further chances this week for debate.