• Privacy policy
  • T&C’s
  • About Us
    • FAQ
    • Meet the Team
  • Contact us
TLE ONLINE SHOP!
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
  • JOBS
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
SUPPORT THE LONDON ECONOMIC
NEWSLETTER
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
  • JOBS
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
No Result
View All Result
Home News

NFU: Removing tariffs could ‘spell the end’ for British family farms

“Does Government lower standards here, which it says it won’t and a million people who signed our petition don’t want to see, or will it watch family farms go out of business when they are unable to compete?”

Andra Maciuca by Andra Maciuca
2021-05-18 11:25
in News, Politics
National Farmers’ Union (NFU) president Minette Batters

National Farmers’ Union (NFU) president Minette Batters. Photo: PA

FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmailWhatsapp

Farming organisations from across the UK have urged the government to stand up for farmers during its negotiations.

As trade talks with Australia and New Zealand make progress, 19 farming bodies have insisted on UK’s high farming standards to be kept.

The UK groups asked for protections to tackle climate change, “irreversible” industry damage and to prevent negative precedents which could reflect in future trade deals.

They also called on the government to ensure trade deals are “genuinely reciprocal” in terms of national benefits.

“Trade-off”

National Farmers’ Union (NFU) president Minette Batters highlighted the importance of government safeguards towards food standards – whilst supporting the liberalisation of trade.

She said: “We know that if we’re to open up the opportunities of new markets overseas for UK farmers, we will have to offer greater access to our own markets in return.

“However, this trade-off needs to be balanced, and we need to make sure concessions to our hugely valuable home market are not given away lightly. 

RelatedPosts

Labour has ‘claimed centre ground’ and ‘shown it can win’ following by-election victory – Starmer

Police ‘kindly’ confiscated my guns after pornography scandal, former MP says

MUST WATCH: Mick Lynch annihilates billionaires, Tories, and UK media

French urged to immediately reduce fuel and energy use

“There is a very real risk that, if we get it wrong, UK farming will suffer irreversible damage rather than flourish in the way we all desire, to the detriment of our environment, our food security and our rural communities.”

“The plain truth is this: removing tariffs for vast, unmanageable volumes of Australian beef or New Zealand lamb – or, God forbid, allowing zero tariffs on all their produce – could spell the end.” [2/4]

— National Farmers' Union (@NFUtweets) May 16, 2021

“Global leader” in animal rights

Batters said the deals should showcase UK’s position as a “global leader” in animal rights, environmental standards and climate action.

She said: “The British government faces a choice.  It must recognise that opening up zero tariff trade on all imports of products such as beef and lamb means British farming, working to its current high standards, will struggle to compete.

“Does Government lower standards here, which it says it won’t and a million people who signed our petition don’t want to see, or will it watch family farms go out of business when they are unable to compete?

“At a time when government has placed huge importance on its aim of levelling up, this would fundamentally undermine any ambition to narrow the rural-urban divide or to ensure all parts of the UK are included in the government’s desire to build back in the months ahead.”

Batters urged negotiators to be mindful of the impact of all free trade agreements which will be finalised within the next few weeks.

She said the deals will set the scene for wider market access to the UK.

“The government must assess how the impact of these concessions combined across multiple trading partners will impact on domestic producers and the rural economy,” she said.

She added: “As negotiations come down to the wire, we urge the government to work closely with the UK Farming Roundtable on these issues and engage with stakeholders to inform their approach to negotiations.”

Related: Farming leader issues warning over ‘morally bankrupt’ food trade deals

Tractor protest planned as MPs “denied a vote” on blocking chlorinated chicken imports

Full list of MPs who voted to lower our food standards during the Covid pandemic

Leaked emails show top official said farming and fisheries ‘not important’ to UK’s future

Tags: Minette BattersNational Farmers’ UnionNFU

Since you are here

Since you are here, we wanted to ask for your help.

Journalism in Britain is under threat. The government is becoming increasingly authoritarian and our media is run by a handful of billionaires, most of whom reside overseas and all of them have strong political allegiances and financial motivations.

Our mission is to hold the powerful to account. It is vital that free media is allowed to exist to expose hypocrisy, corruption, wrongdoing and abuse of power. But we can't do it without you.

If you can afford to contribute a small donation to the site it will help us to continue our work in the best interests of the public. We only ask you to donate what you can afford, with an option to cancel your subscription at any point.

To donate or subscribe to The London Economic, click here.

The TLE shop is also now open, with all profits going to supporting our work.

The shop can be found here.

You can also SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER .

Subscribe to our Newsletter

View our  Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions

Trending on TLE

  • All
  • trending
Abdollah

‘Rescue us’: Afghan teacher begs UK to help him escape Taliban

CHOMSKY: “If Corbyn had been elected, Britain would be pursuing a much more sane course”

What If We Got Rid Of Prisons?

More from TLE

BEAK-CAUSE I LOVE YOU – Penguins ‘split from partners for winter – but still remain faithful’

‘We’ve just been really frustrated’ as students pull down fences erected around halls of residence

Video – ‘Nobody has corona! I don’t give a f*ck!’ Tourist shouts at Indian officer

PLAYLIST: Best of JUNE 2017

Are you equipped to handle customer complaints?

How to make Homemade Cider

Twitter reacts to potential Labour moves to unseat Corbyn

PM does not need to apologise to Queen over prorogation – Jacob Rees-Mogg

Policewoman who chanted ‘free Palestine’ investigated by Scotland Yard

Access to GPs significantly worse for millions under the Tories  

JOBS

FIND MORE JOBS

About Us

TheLondonEconomic.com – Open, accessible and accountable news, sport, culture and lifestyle.

Read more

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.




No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Travel
  • JOBS
  • More…
    • Elevenses
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Tech & Auto
  • About Us
    • Meet the Team
    • Privacy policy
  • Contact us

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.