Speaking in a major debate in the House of Commons on the impact of import standards on the UK agricultural sector, Shadow DEFRA Minister and Epping Forest MP Dr Neil Hudson has reaffirmed his strong support for British farmers and the exceptionally high standards under which they produce food.
With ongoing discussions around future Free Trade Agreements between the UK and the Gulf Cooperation Council (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates), first initiated under the previous Conservative Government, alongside negotiations to enhance existing agreements with the Republic of Korea, Switzerland and Turkey, Dr Hudson stressed the importance of ensuring that all food imports meet Britain’s high production standards. Dr Hudson also warned against EU regulatory alignment that would weaken the UK’s ability to lead on animal welfare and innovation
British farmers operate under some of the highest animal welfare, environmental and food safety standards in the world. These include bans on growth-promoting hormones, strict rules on animal housing and welfare, and robust environmental protections. However, allowing food produced to lower standards overseas to enter the UK market risks undercutting domestic producers and rewarding practices that would be illegal here. Such an approach creates unfair competition and places British farmers at a disadvantage.
As the first veterinary surgeon to serve in the House of Commons since 1884, Dr Hudson has long been a leading advocate for animal welfare and British agriculture.
Speaking after the debate, Dr Neil Hudson MP said:
“British farmers produce food to world-leading standards of animal welfare, environmental protection and food safety. It is only right that they are not undercut by imports produced in ways that would be illegal here.”
“Our trade policy must be built on fairness and our values. That means maintaining our firm red lines on hormone-treated beef, Bovin Somatotropin-dairy, ractopamine-treated pork and chlorine-washed poultry, practices that hide sub-standard animal husbandry and compromise animal welfare.”
“I will continue to press the Government to ensure that they uphold the high standards that the British public rightly expect.”
