Unions join forces to call for standards protection
It is essential that steps to outlaw the importation of agricultural products which are produced to lower standards than those adopted in the UK are included in the UK Agriculture Bill, according to the country’s farming unions.
Speaking ahead of the third reading of the UK Agriculture Bill in the House of Commons today, NFU Scotland said it had joined with its English, Welsh and Irish counterparts to push for such measures to be enshrined in the legislation.
“Such a major omission could expose the UK’S farming sector to competition from imported food that has been produced to lower food safety, environmental, and animal welfare standards, some of which are illegal here,” said NFUS policy chief Jonnie Hall.
He said that all the farming unions had combined to pressurise the UK government to establish an independently-constituted Trade and Standards Commission to ensure the government met its commitment to protect standards in future trade negotiations.
“We have also lobbied strongly for provisions within the UK Agriculture Bill to require all food imported into the UK to be produced to at least equivalent food production standards as those required of producers in the UK,” said Hall.
And it was recognised thatwhilethescottishgovernment would establish the national framework for future agricultural policy in Scotland, producers had a significant interest in aspects of the UK Agriculture Bill, which contained “important and far-reaching” Uk-wide aspects.
With this in mind, a call was also made for the devolved nations to be properly consulted on World Trade Organisation (WTO) obligations which could negatively impact future farming policy.
Scottish Land and Estates (SLE) said it was vital that the devolved administrations had a clear route to make their views known to the UK government – as Westminster would ultimately be responsible for ensuring that levels of public support did not breach WTO trade distortion rules.
In a briefing issued ahead of today’s sitting, SLE also said it welcomed the inclusion of food security in the bill – but added that notice should also be taken of emissions, climate change impact and the sustainability of supply.
SLE policy adviser Eleanor Kay said that it was critical that the bill not only reached the right outcome but that it did so through an equitable decision-making process.
“Although many aspects of farming and land management are devolved, it is absolutely vital that this bill considers the views and needs of Scottish agriculture,” she said.
“This is particularly important in relation to trade. Clauses within the bill give the UK government the power to ensure compliance with World Trade Organisation rules on public support and their abilitytodistorttrade.this would include ceilings to apply on payments across the UK”.
She added that the SLE wanted to see greater transparency on the consultation process between the UK secretary of state and devolved authorities on WTO issues to ensure that decisions were not railroaded through without due consideration of their wider impact on rural areas.