Scotland’s red meat levy body has called on the UK Government for assurances that food standards will be maintained in post-Brexit trade deals.
Quality Meat Scotland – which runs and promotes the Scotch Beef, Scotch Lamb and Specially Selected Pork brands – has joined industry calls for measures to prevent imports of food produced using lower welfare and environmental standards than those required by UK farmers.
The levy body’s chairman, Kate Rowell, said the Scottish red meat industry needed “concrete assurances” that its whole-chain assured brands would not be undercut by imported products.
She said a recent survey by Unison/Savanta ComRes found 81% of the British public have concerns about meat quality standards being relaxed post-Brexit.
“QMS wants the UK Government to ensure that the rules must not be changed in the future to allow the import of food produced under lower standards,” said Ms Rowell.
Her concerns were echoed by the Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers, which said the entire red meat supply chain must be fully protected against any health, welfare and environmental compromises in future trade deals.
The association’s president, Andy McGowan, said failure to ensure these standards would place the industry at “considerable economic risk” and leave consumers with an “import-driven supply chain”.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has claimed animal welfare standards will improve as a result of the UK leaving the European Union.
He made the comments after SNP MP for East Lothian, Kenny MacAskill, asked for assurances that standards will be protected in future trade deals and that a food standards commission will be established.
Mr Johnson failed to confirm whether a commission will be established.