11th November 2020
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