Hundreds of farmers from across the country will gather in
London in March to join the NFU in a rallying call to Government,
urging them to commit that future UK trade policy will not allow
imports of food produced to standards that would be illegal in
the UK.
The mass rally will bring together farmers, consumer
representatives and experts in animal welfare and the
environment, in a show of unity backing the future of British
farming and underlining the role farmers play in supplying the
nation with safe, traceable and affordable food and protecting
our countryside. They are in agreement that British farming’s
world-leading standards must be safeguarded in future trade
deals.
The event will take place on March 25 at the Queen
Elizabeth II Centre in Westminster, London.
NFU President Minette Batters said: “This year is
absolutely pivotal for the future of our country, our farmers and
the food on our plates. Nothing will determine this more than how
the Government shapes trade deals with the EU and other countries
around the world.
“This event is about bringing together people from across
British business who acknowledge and value the importance of food
and farming. They are crystal clear that the Government must hold
the line that they will uphold British farming’s high standards
in trade deals, and crucially they must hold imports entering the
country to that same standard.
“Failure to do so risks undermining British food production
and our own domestic farming industry. We share the Government’s
ambitions to deliver more for the environment, but in doing so,
we must not offshore our food production to those parts of the
world who do not share our values and standards.
“This is an opportunity for hundreds of people to come
together and make their views clear that the Government must not
sacrifice British farming on the altar of free trade and we will
be inviting MPs to attend to hear that message first
hand.
“British farming can be one of the leading lights of
post-Brexit Britain if the Government chooses to become a global
leader in championing sustainable, climate-friendly food that our
farmers produce here. Farmers across the country are ready to
rise to that challenge and we stand ready to work with the
Government on that journey.”
