Demand for clear guarantee on food and farming standards

A letter urging the UK government to legislate in order to protect British farmers when it comes to food trade deals after 31 December 2020 has been signed by 22 food, farming and environmental organisations.

OF&G along with organisations including Save British Farming, Sustain: the Alliance for Better Food and Farming, the Small Farms Association and the Landworkers' Alliance are backing the letter that calls for explict support that would protect standards of UK food production.

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Dear Sir,

Our organisations are united in concern about the government’s pledge to strengthen the Trade & Agriculture Commission (TAC).

We believe this is not only designed to sidestep amendments that would write high standards for food and farming into law, but it also serves to bake in a temporary commission whose composition was already poorly representative of farming, environmental, health and animal welfare concerns.

As such, the TAC does not carry the support of the communities it purports to represent. Furthermore, it is hard to see how the TAC or parliament have any powers in law to force changes in a damaging trade deal.

As such, we argue that the intention of government is to claim support for high farming and food standards whilst preparing to torpedo the same.

This is unacceptable to ourselves and, we believe, the public at large.

We demand high standards clearly guaranteed in primary legislation and a revised TAC that is actually representative of, and trusted by, farming, environmental, health, and animal welfare communities.

Signed by:

Save British Farming

Sustain: The Alliance for Better Food & Farming

Small Farms Association

Farms to Feed Us

NI Farmers for Action

Landworkers Alliance

Forces Farming Ltd & Forces into Agriculture C.I.C.

Compassion for World Farming

Pasture-Fed Livestock Association

Foundation for Common Land

Friends of the Earth

Global Justice Now

Produce & Provide

Free Range Dairy Network

Farms Not Factories

Organic Farmers & Growers C.I.C.

Eating Better

Pesticide Action Network UK

Farm Wilder

Green Party of England & Wales

Social Democratic and Labour Party (NI)

Scottish National Party