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Australian Beef - A huge threat to U.K. farmers

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vegansrock Fri 21-May-21 06:55:19

The government are reportedly trying to push through a free trade deal with Australia. I wonder why. Some Australian beef farms are industrialised factories with over 400,000 cows fed on grain. Welfare standards are lower that the U.K. ( which aren’t actually that high), even with the cost ( the environmental cost not mentioned) of long distance transportation, our much smaller family run farms will not be able to compete, apart from supplying the smaller niche organic, and much more expensive, market. Farmers are worried this will be the thin end of the wedge that will finally kill them off, especially the smaller farms in Scotland and Wales. Is this just a cynical exercise to show that we don’t need the EU that will actually further damage our economy and come at a great environmental and animal welfare cost?

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vegansrock Thu 03-Jun-21 20:36:03

* Callistemon * I am against this trade deal , which is not just about cows, as it brings in lots of issues of food standards, climate change, environmental concerns and animal welfare. All intertwined. People should eat less, not more meat, for all the above concerns, as meat eating is one of the biggest factors in climate change and environmental damage. I understand people may choose to eat meat, and if so, I believe should eat less meat of a higher quality, locally produced, not more meat of a lower quality from further away.

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Katie59 Fri 04-Jun-21 18:49:26

vegansrock

* Callistemon * I am against this trade deal , which is not just about cows, as it brings in lots of issues of food standards, climate change, environmental concerns and animal welfare. All intertwined. People should eat less, not more meat, for all the above concerns, as meat eating is one of the biggest factors in climate change and environmental damage. I understand people may choose to eat meat, and if so, I believe should eat less meat of a higher quality, locally produced, not more meat of a lower quality from further away.

The biggest factor is population growth followed by improving lifestyle in developing countries, they want more of what we’ve got.

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Greta Wed 16-Jun-21 13:50:08

It was inevitable, wasn't it? The Government now has to be seen to be delivering Brexit – never mind the cost.

I apologise if the following has been posted before but it's worth reminding ourselves what this Government is prepared to do in the name of Brexit. The article is from 2020.

^”Parliament will not have a final say on the trade deals negotiated by the government after an amendment to the Trade Bill was defeated in a House of Commons vote on Monday evening (20 July).
The bill, which is currently going through parliament, provides the legal framework for post-Brexit UK trade policy.
The amendment to guarantee MPs a final vote on trade agreements was rejected by a majority of 63 in a victory for the government.”^

”In the US, Japan and the EU, the legislative bodies all have a final vote on the ratification of trade deals. ”

”The government also defeated amendments designed to legally bind government to maintain existing foods and environmental standards and to remove the NHS from the negotiating table in future talks.”

www.export.org.uk/news/518229/Parliament-loses-right-to-vote-on-trade-deals-as-Trade-Bill-amendment-is-defeated-by-government.htm

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