US trade deal and food standards

[Hyperion100]

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/chlorinated-chicken-british-markets-us-trade-deal-trump-a9548431.html

As its pretty much a given that we'll be getting low quality food imports from the US post brexit, will you still buy it and feed it to your family? Or is this the time more of the nation genuinely goes veggie?

The US food lobbies want the UK to do away with food origin labeling (That was an EU initiative) as it would deter UK consumers from ever buying it so you'll never know you're eating it.

Takeaways, school dinners, ready meals, even the stuff off the shelves...it'll be everywhere.

The GM crops, the chlorinated chicken, the growth hormone fed beef all pumped up with ultra high levels of antibiotics.

It scares me to be honest and really is enough to make me, a committed carnivore, go veggie.

Apart from the genuine health implications of over prescribing antibiotics, using growth hormones and ractopamine (Currently banned in 160 odd countries), I worry the ground we've gained over the last few decades on animal welfare will just be thrown out the window.

@DGRossetti but you have no proof this will happen

And you have no proof it won't. Shall we dance ?

Of course, we could always import more high quality food from the US;

U.S. Beef Exporters to the EU (listed in alphabetical order) -

www.usa-beef.org/for-distributors-sellers/importers-exporters/

"US-EU beef trade agreement passes European Parliament"

29-Nov-2019 By Aidan Fortune

"US producers had a successful Thanksgiving following the European Parliament’s approval of a trade agreement between the two markets to increase share of hormone-free beef quotas."

HTTPS:WWW.GLOBALMEATNEWS.COM/ARTICLE/2019/11/29/US-EU-BEEF-TRADE-AGREEMENT-PASSES-EUROPEAN-PARLIAMENT

"U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) President and CEO Dan Halstrom says the announcement is very good news for the U.S. beef industry."

"Approval by the European Parliament keeps this agreement on track for implementation in early 2020, which is outstanding news for the U.S. beef industry and our customers in Europe" said Halstrom. "Lack of capacity in the duty-free quota has been a source of frustration on both sides of the Atlantic, and a U.S.-specific share of the quota will help ensure that U.S. beef can enter the European market 52 weeks per year, without delay or interruption."

www.aginfo.net/report/44523/Land-Livestock-Report/European-Parliament-s-Approves-of-U-S-EU-Beef-Access-Agreement

It's such a shame, I really liked all the small British farms and the return to artisan British products. I can't imagine many people who voted leave are going to be that keen to back American intensive agricultural over for British farms, but they'll get no choice in the matter.

Why import beef from across the world when it’s already available here. The extra food miles adds to environmental damage. This trade deal has far reaching consequences. People need to open their eyes!

I really liked all the small British farms and the return to artisan British products

Artisan British products are comparatively expensive - people who can afford to buy them will continue to do so - they are not going to swap Scottish smoked salmon or a Fortnum & Mason hamper for a cheap chicken from the US.

@Clavinova

I really liked all the small British farms and the return to artisan British products

Artisan British products are comparatively expensive - people who can afford to buy them will continue to do so - they are not going to swap Scottish smoked salmon or a Fortnum & Mason hamper for a cheap chicken from the US.

But it won’t be identifiable if there’s no labelling

But it won’t be identifiable if there’s no labelling

Of course there will be labelling.

I hope so
But read the article in op

But read the article in op

I couldn't actually see any mention of food labelling in the op link. Nutritional labelling is mentioned in the Soil Association link. Where does it say that British producers cannot label their own produce?

Here
Copied from the independent

US government also officially considers country-of-origin labelling a barrier to trade, suggesting it is likely to push for such practices to be outlawed in a free trade agreement. This would make it impossible for consumers to tell whether their product had been sourced from the US

From this article

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/chlorinated-chicken-us-trade-talks-boris-johnson-trump-a9549656.html%3famp

This too about other issues not just meat
www.soilassociation.org/our-campaigns/top-10-risks-from-a-uk-us-trade-deal/

This would make it impossible for consumers to tell whether their product had been sourced from the US.

Why would that stop British producers putting a label on their produce - Herefordshire Beef or Wensleydale Cheese for example?

US government also officially considers country-of-origin labelling a barrier to trade

And this specialist butcher based in Aberdeen (already selling high quality US beef) is hiding its country of origin?

ABOUT THIS PRODUCT -
These are beautiful, USDA certified Black Angus Briskets from Harris Ranch, California. All graded and ready to go..Proper grass raised for flavour and grain finished for marbling. Produced to the highest qualities without the use of any artificial ingredients.

www.johndavidsons.com/pitmaster-bbq/brisket-love/usda-brisket-harris-ranch

That beef needs to meet EU standards to be imported. It will have been raised for export. That is what will end in the future - the UK will get the same hormone-laden beef the US does.

Quite weighty ///

www.globaljustice.org.uk/news/2019/nov/27/leaked-papers-us-uk-trade-talks-guide-revelations

Some choice cuts:

What the documents say

“The US view the introduction of warning labels as harmful rather than as a step to public health.”[20] (13-14 November 2017)

“Whilst they follow the guidance set by WHO, they are concerned that labelling food with high sugar content (as has been done with tobacco) is not particularly useful in changing consumer behaviour.”[21] (13-14 November 2017)
What it means

Public health measures to tackle the obesity crisis through improved labelling could be at risk, as is labelling to inform the public of the presence of genetically modified organisms.
What the documents say

“US raised expected concerns with EU's system for Geographical Indications and pressed the UK to move away from current EU approach on generic terms.”[22] (24-25 July 2017)
What it means

Terms such as Cornish pasty, Melton Mowbray pork pie or Scottish wild salmon, which are used to promote local products, would be at risk. American companies would be able to produce and sell ‘Cornish pasties’ themselves

That beef needs to meet EU standards to be imported. It will have been raised for export.

I think this US beef producer from the same website is doing fine without EU standards:

No Antibiotics - EVER!
No Added Hormones - EVER!
No Growth Promoting Drugs - EVER!
No Artificial Ingredients - EVER!
100% Vegetarian Diet

www.johndavidsons.com/pitmaster-bbq/beef/t-bone-steak

Clav, I have family in farming in North America. There is a market for organic/free range/yadda yadda. That's not how most of the market works, and the vast majority of meat is raised to standards that are not permitted here because they involve high industrialisation, low animal welfare standards, and have a much higher incidence of food pathogens which is what the clorine washing is meant to try and control.

When the US tells the UK to drop standards, it's to open the market to the US cheap meat industry, not the farm-to-fork greenmarket suppliers. Get it yet?

I'll wait.

Of course, if the US is able to export it's high quality beef into the UK as things stand, then you have to ask why anyone needs a trade deal ?

Of course, if the US is able to export it's high quality beef into the UK as things stand, then you have to ask why anyone needs a trade deal ?
Absolutely Serendipity

If, as C&Pinova keeps telling us, all is well with the US meat industry, nothing need change.

The UK sticks with the EU rules next year and the high quality US farmers will be happy

oh wait

Of course, if the US is able to export it's high quality beef into the UK as things stand, then you have to ask why anyone needs a trade deal?

The US would seek to increase the quota of beef allowed.

www.nytimes.com/2020/06/05/nyregion/police-misconduct-records-are-secret-protests-may-finally-change-that.html

Land of the Free

Oh yes, increase the quota. To self quote:

When the US tells the UK to drop standards, it's to open the market to the US cheap meat industry, not the farm-to-fork greenmarket suppliers.

Farmers voted for it

Lazy stereotyping. 54% of farmers were apparently pro leave. So not that dissimilar to the overall national vote.

Many farmers did NOT vote for Brexit, and the farming press and unions were mostly desperately pushing a remain message.

I voted remain. I do believe though that British farming is very resilient and whilst there might be a blip initially the concern over food miles and food standards will win out.

Food will be more expensive though, but perhaps that's not a bad thing. We waste too much and care too little about the work and energy it takes to produce at the moment because it's so cheap.