Facebook Twitter Instagram
    • FREE Email Newsletters
    • About Us
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • FREE Magazine Subscriptions
    Twitter LinkedIn
    Podcast
    Poultry News
    • Production
      • Broiler Production
      • Ducks
      • Egg Production
      • Game
      • Hatching
      • Housing
      • Turkeys
    • Processing
    • Business & Politics
      • Business
      • Economics
      • EU & Politics
      • Marketing
      • People
      • Training & Education
    • Welfare
      • Environment
      • Food Safety
      • Vet & Medication
      • Welfare
    • Feed
    • Genetics
    • New Products
    • Magazines
      1. July 2022
      2. June 2022
      3. May 2022
      4. April 2022
      5. February 2022
      6. January 2022
      Featured

      Protected: Poultry Business – July 2022

      By Michael BarkerJune 28, 2022
      Recent

      Protected: Poultry Business – July 2022

      June 28, 2022

      Protected: Finalists Supplement – National Egg & Poultry Awards 2022

      June 27, 2022

      Protected: Innovation Supplement 2022

      June 1, 2022
    • Jobs
      • Browse Jobs
      • Post a Job
      • Manage Jobs
    • Events
      • National Egg and Poultry Awards
      • Poultry Fair
    Poultry News
    Business & Politics

    Analysis: Trade talks with the US have started, but fears about cheap chlorinated chicken just won’t go away

    Chloe RyanBy Chloe RyanJune 2, 20207 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email

    The UK and US governments started negotiating a UK-US Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in May. The International Trade Secretary Liz Truss and the US trade representative Robert Lighthizer launched negotiations via video conference call.

    This first round of negotiations lasted two weeks and involved around 100 negotiators on each side. On the UK side, talks are being led by Oliver Griffiths, with all UK trade negotiations being overseen by Crawford Falconer, DIT’s chief trade negotiation adviser, formerly New Zealand’s chief negotiator and ambassador to the WTO.

    Talks will cover all areas set out in the UK’s negotiation objectives, including goods and services trade, digital trade, investment and supporting SMEs. Further rounds will take place approximately every six weeks and will be carried out remotely until it is safe to travel. It is not new that concerns have been expressed over the likelihood such a deal will lead to either low or no tariff arrangements on agricultural goods.

    The US has been clear in its ambitions. Chlorinated chicken is one example, eggs produced in battery cages is another. Such imports have the potential to undercut UK producers, and lead to a decline in the UK egg and poultry sectors. Truss, an advocate of free trade, insists such fears are unfounded. “The US is our largest trading partner and increasing transatlantic trade can help our economies bounce back from the economic challenge posed by coronavirus,” she says.

    “The Prime Minister has been clear that we champion free trade and this deal will make it even easier to do business with our friends across the pond.”

    Truss says Government analysis shows a UK-US FTA will benefit every region and nation of the UK, with the greatest benefits in Scotland, the North East and the Midlands. And she reiterated the Government would not allow products to be imported that fell below UK standards.

    “The UK’s negotiating objectives make clear that we will continue uphold our high standards on food safety and animal welfare.” This commitment rang rather hollow on May 14, when an amendment to the Agriculture Bill put forward by EFRA chair Neil Parish, which would have written this into law, ensuring products such as chlorinated chicken could not be imported, was voted down 328 to 277 in the House of Commons.

    Parish expressed disappointment, and a report in the Financial Times in the same week said Truss was, in fact, preparing to offer concessions on import standards in order to get a deal across the line before the end of the year, when the UK’s transitional arrangements with the EU end. Truss denies this.

    Farmers expressed bitter disappointment at the result. “We are extremely deflated by the result of the House of Commons Agriculture Bill debate,” says Ivor Ferguson, president of the Ulster Farmers’ Union. “MPs have decided that the Bill remains fit for purpose and no amendments or improvement is needed. This logic has bewildered the entire UK farming community considering how the COVID-19 pandemic has emphasised the importance of local food production and food security.

    “The MPs’ decision leaves UK agriculture in a very uncertain position. The fear remains that down the line our market could be flooded with imports produced to standards which would be illegal here, undermining our farmers and putting the entire farm family structure at risk.

    “It’s a kick in the teeth to our primary producers who take pride in upholding the highest environmental, animal welfare and food safety standards, and we rely on them now more than ever. 

    “It’s extremely concerning that the MPs’ vote concluded that it wasn’t essential to protect the hand that feeds them.”

    NFU director of EU exit and international trade Nick von Westenholz added: “Farmers will be very concerned to hear that the UK Government is considering freeing up access to our market for food produced overseas, especially at a time when they are struggling to manage huge volatility caused by the coronavirus crisis.

    “Any concessions UK negotiators give on market access – such as lower or zero tariffs on agricultural goods – must be accompanied by clear conditions on how those goods have been produced. Anything else would represent a clear breach of the Government’s own explicit red lines in trade negotiations, that it ‘will not compromise on our high environmental protection, animal welfare and food standards’.

    “Furthermore, if the trade deal is going to have a net benefit for farmers, as has been promised, the UK Government needs to set out clearly what additional access has been granted by US negotiators which will, at a minimum, compensate for the loss of market at home.”

    So concerned has The British Egg Industry Council (BEIC) been, it teamed up with Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) and the RSPCA, to issue a warning about the risk to British egg farming, saying the Government could be allowing in low welfare, battery-caged imported eggs produced to questionable safety standards for consumers.

    And while the Government’s announcement that tariffs would be maintained was welcomed, these negotiations could involve scrapping them.

    The BEIC, CIWF and RSPCA jointly wrote to Truss to explain their concerns and received the following response: “The Government has been clear that it remains firmly committed to upholding our high environmental, food safety and animal welfare standards after leaving the EU. The EU Withdrawal Act has transferred all EU food safety provisions on to the UK statute book, including the high standards underpinning the British egg sector.

    “The Government also remains committed to promoting robust food safety standards nationally and internationally, to protect consumer interests, and to ensure that consumers can have confidence in the food they buy.

    “The Government will stand firm in trade negotiations to ensure any future trade deals live up to the values of farmers, consumers, and businesses across the UK.

    As set out in our manifesto, we will drive a hard bargain with all of our trading partners – and, as with all negotiations, we will be prepared to walk away if that is in the national interest. In developing our approach to future trade and upholding domestic standards, we are mindful of the importance processed eggs and similar products play in the market.”

    But despite these reassurances, suspicions remain about what will ultimately be up for grabs when a deal is at stake.

    Mark Williams, BEIC chief executive, said: “While we welcome the commitment to not compromise on high environmental protection, animal welfare and food standards, this approach must also apply to imports, something which the Government fails to make clear in its response.

    “We cannot allow the Government to operate double standards where UK farmers have to continue to produce to high standards, yet allow imports produced to lower or no standards at all – this would be a moral outrage for consumers and catastrophic for our farmers, supply chain and the UK’s reputation for high standards of welfare, environmental protection and producing safe food for consumers.”

    Robert Gooch, chief executive of the British Free Range Egg Producers Association, said all eyes were now be on free trade deals where the tariff could be waived as part of the negotiations. “Egg producers will cautiously welcome this long-overdue commitment to retain the tariff on imported eggs and, in doing so, protect the world-leading standards of animal welfare, food safety and environmental care found on UK farms,” he said.

    “BFREPA has consistently said that standards must not be undermined in trade deals. The tariffs are a step in the right direction but we will be watching closely to ensure this commitment is honoured when establishing new free trade agreements in the coming months.”

    Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email
    Previous ArticlePoultry Business – June 2020
    Next Article Analysis: Egg producers struggle to make it pay
    Chloe Ryan

    Editor of Poultry Business, Chloe has spent the past decade writing about the food industry from farming, through manufacturing, retail and foodservice. When not working, dog walking and reading biographies are her favourite hobbies.

    Read Similar Stories

    Business & Politics

    Analysis: How ‘agflation’ is driving up the cost of chicken

    July 5, 2022
    Business

    LJ Fairburn reports reduced profits

    July 4, 2022
    Business

    Jack Brand reports operating loss after ‘poor’ performance

    July 4, 2022
    Most Read

    Comment: The funding for research on avian influenza is much needed

    July 5, 2022

    Avara Foods’ mission to report carbon emissions

    July 5, 2022

    Analysis: How ‘agflation’ is driving up the cost of chicken

    July 5, 2022
    © 2022 Lewis Business Media. All Rights Reserved.
    Lewis Business Media, Suite A, Arun House, Office Village, River Way, Uckfield, TN22 1SL

    Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions

    • AA Farmer
    • Farm Contractor
    • Pig World
    • OvertheCounter

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “ACCEPT ALL”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
    Cookie SettingsREJECT ALLAccept All
    Manage consent

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
    CookieDurationDescription
    AWSALBCORS7 daysThis cookie is managed by Amazon Web Services and is used for load balancing.
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary1 yearSet by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie is used to record the user consent for the cookies in the "Necessary" category .
    PHPSESSIDsessionThis cookie is native to PHP applications. The cookie is used to store and identify a users' unique session ID for the purpose of managing user session on the website. The cookie is a session cookies and is deleted when all the browser windows are closed.
    Others
    Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
    CookieDurationDescription
    AWSALB7 daysAWSALB is a cookie generated by the Application load balancer in the Amazon Web Services. It works slightly different from AWSELB.
    explat_test_aa_weekly_lohp_2021_week_4517 days 8 hoursNo description
    ppwp_wp_session30 minutesNo description
    tk_ai14 daysGathers information for WordPress by themselves, first party analytics tool about how WP services are used. A collection of internal metrics for user activity, used to improve user experience.
    tk_qssessionGathers information for WordPress by themselves, first party analytics tool about how WP services are used. A collection of internal metrics for user activity, used to improve user experience.
    Advertisement
    Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
    CookieDurationDescription
    OAGEOsessionOpenX sets this cookie to avoid the repeated display of the same ad.
    OAID1 yearThis cookie is set when an AdsWizz website visitor have opted out the collection of information by AdsWizz service or opted to disable the targeted ads by AdsWizz.
    Analytics
    Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
    CookieDurationDescription
    _ga2 yearsThe _ga cookie, installed by Google Analytics, calculates visitor, session and campaign data and also keeps track of site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookie stores information anonymously and assigns a randomly generated number to recognize unique visitors.
    _gat_gtag_UA_31822138_71 minuteSet by Google to distinguish users.
    _gid1 dayInstalled by Google Analytics, _gid cookie stores information on how visitors use a website, while also creating an analytics report of the website's performance. Some of the data that are collected include the number of visitors, their source, and the pages they visit anonymously.
    tk_lr1 yearThe tk_lr is a referral cookie set by the JetPack plugin on sites using WooCommerce, which analyzes referrer behaviour for Jetpack.
    tk_or5 yearsThe tk_or is a referral cookie set by the JetPack plugin on sites using WooCommerce, which analyzes referrer behaviour for Jetpack.
    tk_r3d3 daysJetPack installs this cookie to collect internal metrics for user activity and in turn improve user experience.
    SAVE & ACCEPT
    Powered by CookieYes Logo