Responding to the CPTPP trade agreement, NFU President Minette
Batters said: “Joining the CPTPP could provide some good
opportunities to get more fantastic British food on plates
overseas.
“Compared to the deals struck with Australia and New Zealand, I
am pleased to see that the Prime Minister has stuck to his word
and the government has negotiated a far more considered and
balanced outcome, particularly with respect to managing market
access in our most vulnerable sectors. I will continue to press
government to ensure its domestic policies are aimed at improving
the competitiveness of British farming and strengthening our
domestic food security.
“I am pleased that our government continues to maintain its
commitment to our food safety standards. It is an absolute red
line for us that food produced using practices that are illegal
here – for instance, the use of hormones in beef and pork
production and chemical washes for carcases – should not be
allowed on our market.”
-ends-
Notes to editor:
- Australia and New Zealand have already been granted unlimited
access, phased in over time, to the UK’s prized agri-food market
for a range of products. Now the CPTPP countries, including major
agricultural exporters such as Canada, Mexico and Chile will also
be able to access that further under preferential terms of trade.
- The NFU has an ambition to grow our food exports by 30% by
the end of the decade. Joining the CPTPP could offer
opportunities to grow our dairy exports to the Americas, poultry
to Vietnam, and sheep meat to Malaysia.
- We made progress with the establishment of the Trade and
Agriculture Commission, but alongside the TAC we called for a set
of “core standards” for food imports. We have heard nothing from
government on this, which is a concern shared by bodies across
the farming, animal welfare and environmental sectors.
