UK

BPC still worries about post-Brexit food standards

Brexit

"If we lose control of the food that enters our markets, we risk diluting our own standards and compromise our future trading relationship with the EU", warns British Poultry Council, Chief Executive, Richard Griffiths.

Posted on Oct 15 ,07:28

The British Poultry Council is still worried that the UK government will ease the food safety standards in trade deals that are going to be signed post-Brexit. Writing in response to the House of Common’s latest rejection of the Lords amendment to the Agriculture Bill to force trade deals to meet UK food standards, Britain’s £7.9 billion (€10.7 billion) poultry meat industry calls for a cast-iron guarantee from the Government that food standards will not be reduced in any trade deal.
"With the UK beginning a new chapter outside the European Union, it is more important than ever to maintain UK’s animal welfare and food safety standards and protect them from dilution in trade deals and ensure nation’s access to affordable British food.
The Government has repeatedly stated the UK will not compromise on our high standards of animal welfare, food production and environmental protection in trade negotiations, and we are asking them to live up to that commitment. If we lose control of the food that enters our markets, we risk diluting our own standards and compromise our future trading relationship with the EU and place barriers between us and our biggest and closest trading partner.
Dilution of food standards will not only penalise British producers who have worked hard to achieve these standards but also create a two-tier food system in which only the affluent will be able to afford to eat British food grown to British standards," stated British Poultry Council, Chief Executive, Richard Griffiths.
The latest IGD monthly survey revealed that 18% of the British shoppers are expecting food prices to get much higher in the year ahead due to little progress in trade talks between the UK and EU.

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