Trade body says post-Brexit agreements must not compromise UK food standards

The head of the independent advisory trade and agriculture group said high UK standards for food and animal welfare would not be lowered after Brexit if the government implemented new rules published on Tuesday.

In its first Report, the Commission supports the Government's policy for liberalisation of trade in food and farming with other countries after we have left the EU.

Farmers worry that a flood of low-quality imports could undermine UK products as they must maintain high standards to export to the EU.

An independent commission, approved by Trade Minister Liz Truss, called for the safeguards to be upheld, calling for them to be improved in the forthcoming years.

Many of the countries with which the government wants to strike trade agreements have much lower standards of food safety and agriculture that the EU and many goods from those countries have previously been banned by EU rules from the UK.

The National Farmers "Union also hailed the report but said the government needed to outline" how these trade-offs are managed and weighted."

The Guidelines for the International Trade and Agriculture Commission call for deregulation on food and agriculture to include other countries, but say it should be in line with a commitment to "international leadership by the UK on climate, environment, animal welfare and ethical trade"