²ÝÁñÉçÇø

The NFU and Friends of the Earth (FoE) have joined forces to push for environmental, animal welfare and food safety standards to be protected after Brexit.

The US and China have signed Phase One of an international trade-agreement worth $200 billion overall, with China now expected to purchase up to $50billion (£39 billion) worth of agricultural products on an annual-basis.

As we enter a new decade, farmers need details on how the UK’s post-Brexit trade and policy arrangements will affect them, says Conservative peer Anne McIntosh.

UK political discourse has become more tribal in recent years, but the Government should be aware that society is united on one thing – the need to protect standards after Brexit, says Sue Pritchard, director of the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission (FFCC).

The Government’s chief food adviser has called the current debate on meat eating an unpleasant dialogue of the deaf.

The NFU has called for the new Agriculture Bill, which will be reintroduced to Parliament this month, to set up a commission to protect food standards in trade deals.

A show-of-hands poll carried out at Oxford Farming Conference revealed there was not a single audience member who trusted the Government to protect food production standards in trade deals.

The Agriculture Bill needs major reform if farming is to thrive in Brexit Britain, says Leicestershire arable and beef farmer Joe Stanley in an open letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

There have been a lot of challenges for farmers over the past 10 years, but they have left us battle-hardened and ready to take on the world, not battle-weary and cowered, says NFU deputy president Guy Smith.

Number 10 has already removed environmental commitments from the EU Withdrawal Agreement, which does not bode well for the protection of food standards over the coming years, says Kerry McCarthy, Labour MP for Bristol East.