As Lords meet next week to discuss the agriculture bill, parliament is faced with a once-in-a-generation opportunity to protect the UK’s farm animal welfare standards. Failure to act now could result in a catastrophic weakening of the hard-won protections for millions of animals in this country.
With three months until Brexit and the increasing risk of no deal with our European neighbours, and as a net importer of nearly 40% of our food, the vast majority coming from the EU, the government has to feed the nation. Manifesto promises and parliamentary pronouncements guaranteeing to protect our higher welfare standards as we seek new trade deals around the globe have not been backed up by the legal protections essential to ensure the government does not roll back on its commitment to protect British farmers and their animals.
The realities of chlorine-washed chicken and hormone-treated beef ending up on our shelves have been documented, but consumers also face having products from pigs produced using sow stalls, banned in the UK since 1999, and egg products from laying hens kept in barren battery cages, also illegal in this country.
A recent survey showed 83% of UK adults agree that the UK should not allow imports of food from the US that were produced at lower standards than those here.
We urge shoppers to sign our petition at www.rspca.org.uk/agribill in the hope that the government will listen to the public and protect farm animal welfare.
Chris Sherwood
Chief executive, RSPCA
