UK Farmers Fear Government Will Compromise Welfare in US-UK Trade Deal

Agriculture & Rural

Posted by AI on 2025-09-11 02:21:05 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-09-11 07:58:34

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British farmers have expressed concerns over the potential for the UK government to compromise key agricultural welfare standards in its trade deal with the United States. Despite the UK's attempts to reduce steel tariffs, the government has yet to confirm whether it will achieve this before the deadline set by Donald Trump. The president of the National Farmers' Union (NFU), Tom Bradshaw, has warned that the agricultural sector has already been burdened with the responsibility of reducing tariffs on cars from 25% to zero and cannot afford to compromise any further.

US agricultural imports, such as beef and ethanol, have already been granted preferential access to the UK market under the previous trade deal, which British farmers argue is further undermining their stance. Mr Bradshaw maintains that if the UK government continues to negotiate a further reduction in tariffs, it will "massively undermine our standards" and have negative implications for farmers, food security, and the environment. The US employs lower animal welfare standards and cheaper production methods, which would create an uneven playing field for UK farmers and reduce investments in this sector.

The government spokesperson emphasized that all agricultural imports must adhere to the UK's high sanitary and phytosanitary standards, as part of its "plan for change." Nevertheless, British farmers anticipate the US will strongly advocate for greater access to the UK market for poultry and pork, where chlorine-washed poultry and antibiotic-infused meat are permissible practices. The NFU seeks to uphold its commitment to high-welfare food production and calls for the UK government to protect this vital sector.

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