Plaid sound warning over low-quality food imports
EXISTING high-quality food standards should be maintained for all products imported to the UK, Plaid Cymru MP Ben Lake has said.
The Westminster Government has said that it will not lower food standards for UK producers, but there is growing speculation that they will allow lower-quality imports to be sold in the UK as a part of the scramble for postBrexit trade deals.
Mr Lake said the Westminster Government looks like it is “pulling the rug from under farmers and the consumer”.
The use of drugs and rearing practices in some countries which are currently banned in the UK would not only lead to lower-quality food being sold in the UK, but risk undercutting UK produce on price.
For instance, cost-cutting measures in the largescale US factory farming industry lead to lower comparative costs. Pigs in the US, for example, are often reared using sow stalls – which stop the female pigs moving – which are banned in the UK and EU.
The Conservative Government blocked an attempt to ensure a level playing field on standards for all food sold in the UK when a cross-party amendment to the Agriculture Bill, backed by
Plaid Cymru, was down last month.
Mr Lake said: “It is becoming increasingly clear that the UK Government is willing to trade away the future of our rural economy in return for a few quick trade deals that will provide little if any benefit to Welsh consumers or producers.
“Wales has world-leading farmers producing voted
Picture: Betsan Haf Evans
food and drink to the highest standards, and so it would be unforgivable if the UK Government were to let cheaper, low-quality imports to undermine not only their efforts but their livelihoods too.
“Any food imports must adhere to our high standards – to allow otherwise would undermine the future of Welsh agriculture.”
NFU Cymru has questioned the inappropriate timing of a consultation from Natural Resources Wales that could have far-reaching implications for farming businesses making investments in livestock housing and slurry and manure storage facilities.
The consultation seeks views on updating its current guidance note Assessing the Impact of Ammonia and Nitrogen on Designated Sites from New and Expanding Intensive Livestock Units, which sets out how Natural Resources Wales (NRW) expects assessments of the impact of ammonia emissions from developments that emit ammonia should be carried out.
The revised guidance includes a number of very significant changes for farming. NRW now proposes the guidance should apply to all livestock developments, not just intensive farming units. In addition, whereas the existing guidance applies to designated sites such as Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) and Sites of Special Scientific Importance (SSSI), NRW now plans to produce a map of sensitive species/locations containing species that cannot tolerate high levels of nitrogen. This will include SAC and SSSI, but NRW also states that sensitive sites are not limited to those that are designated as protected in some way.
Commenting after a virtual meeting of the NFU Cymru Rural Affairs Board where this matter was raised, board chairman Hedd Pugh said: “NFU Cymru has asked NRW to postpone its recently launched consultation on ammonia and nitrogen screening until the end of the Covid-19 crisis.
“We are disappointed that NRW is advancing this consultation during the ‘lockdown’, when our ability as an organisation to consult properly with our members and get their views on these proposals has been severely impacted.”
NFU Cymru deputy president Aled Jones said: “There can be no doubt that NRW’s proposals will result in many more farm developments being brought into the screening process with requirements to undertake assessments of the potential impact of ammonia and nitrogen.
Concluding, Mr Jones added: “We recognise there is work to be done to reach sustainable ammonia emissions in line with targets. We are keen to work with Welsh Government and NRW on an overarching strategy to achieve this. H
“This will be vital if farmers are to continue in their role producing safe, high-quality food for the nation, delivering jobs, growth and investment for Wales.”