Document type: article from PoliticsHome
Note: Lord Trees is a member of the House of Lords.
Preview: In entering the brave new world of ambitious free-trade agreements, several different members of the Government on several different occasions have made commitments that in future trade agreements the UK's current high standards of animal welfare and environmental sustainability will not be compromised. With regard to this issue, there will be considerable pressure in negotiating FTAs, particularly with the USA, and the Government may be tempted to relax demands from countries where not only economies of scale but also "economies" with respect to animal welfare and environmental sustainability may enable lower costs of production. However, it would be economic folly and environmentally self-defeating to import cheaper livestock products produced to lower standards which would mean we are exporting poor animal welfare and poor environmental standards whilst at the same time disadvantaging and indeed threatening the viability of our indigenous livestock sector.
