Key Facts

• The Agriculture Bill's consideration includes new clauses about agricultural imports.
• Goods imported must meet UK animal welfare, environmental protection, food safety, hygiene, traceability, and plant health standards post IP completion day.
• A register of UK production standards will be prepared annually by the Secretary of State.
• New clauses address trade agreements, food security, environmental sustainability, public health, and carbon emissions targets.
• Amendments include adding purposes for financial assistance to improve public health and protect landscapes through sustainable practices.
• The new clauses aim to align UK standards with WTO Agreements on Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures.
• The new clause aims to ensure imported food meets UK standards.
• It would require producers to comply with UK standards if they wish to access UK markets.
• Supported by various organizations including the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, RSPCA, NFU.
• The Agriculture Bill will fundamentally change the system of farm support.
• The amendments aim to put Government promises on high environmental protection, animal welfare, and food standards into law.
• A food security report is proposed to be published within six months focusing on food supply problems highlighted by the virus.
• The Minister Victoria Prentis was called to speak on the Agriculture Bill.
• The Agriculture Bill is the first of its kind for over 70 years.
• £16 million funding was announced for food charities on Friday.
• Clause 17 introduces a Government duty to review UK food security every five years.
• Trade talks with the US opened formally last Tuesday.
• Amendments could disrupt food supply and impact exports, e.g., whisky worth £578 million.
• The EU Withdrawal Act converts all EU standards into domestic law.
• A seven-year transition period is set for moving away from direct payments to new environmental land management schemes.
• The Agriculture Bill is needed due to leaving the EU.
• Amendment 39 aims to remove the scheme that subjects devolved Administrations to the Secretary of State's whims in WTO reporting.
• Brock supports writing high standards for imported foods into legislation.
• The statement advocates for higher welfare and environmental standards in farming.
• New clause 1 aims to establish equivalence of production on imported food.
• New clause 2 focuses on WTO-compliant trade deals that uphold British animal welfare and environmental conditions.
• Since 2017, the speaker has been advocating for the introduction of a simple measurement of food insecurity in household surveys.
• In 2019, the Government started conducting a food insecurity measurement as outlined in the speaker's Food Insecurity Bill.
• During the pandemic, over 1.5 million people reported going without food for an entire day.
• The Agriculture Bill will free farmers from constraints of the common agricultural policy.
• There are export opportunities worth over £60 million over three years exporting beef to the United States.
• The EU produces a given amount of food at 0.55 against a metric of 1 in 1961, while the UK is at 0.43 and the world average is 0.29.
• The Bill includes a requirement for the Secretary of State to produce a status report on food security every five years.
• The Government guarantees the same level of payment over the duration of this Parliament as direct payments are phased out.
• The speaker supports new clauses 1 and 2 to uphold high animal health and welfare standards in trade agreements.
• The UK allocates 0.7% of national income to international aid.
• The Government plans to remove 50% of basic payments by 2024, costing farmers 46% of their net income.
• There are currently 89,000 basic payment claimants.
• Almost 50% of the food consumed in the UK is now imported compared with 35% just 20 years ago.
• The amendments seek to provide a concrete guarantee on future import standards.
• New clause 6 proposes delaying the start of the transition from basic payment scheme to public money for public goods until 2022 rather than 2021.
• Northern Ireland's agri-food sector sustains approximately 100,000 jobs and brings an added value of almost £1.5 billion to the economy.
• The proposed amendments aim to prevent undercutting of the UK farming industry by cheap foreign imports.
• The World Trade Organisation sanitary and phytosanitary agreement is a consideration for the workability of the amendments.
• A ban on UK beef exports by the US has been lifted, creating a market worth more than £66 million over five years.
• The Agriculture Bill is seen as an opportunity to protect British farming and maintain high food and environmental standards.
• Food insecurity affects many families in the constituency.
• Free school meal voucher problems persist due to a system not fit for purpose.
• Kinship carers face unique challenges in accessing food support.
• Border communities are concerned about devolved powers affecting farmers operating on both sides of the border.
• Subsidies will end for English farmers in seven years but continue for Welsh farmers.
• Kerry McCarthy's constituency is Chorley.
• Amendments 18 and 19 focus on promoting agroecology.
• The Landworkers Alliance supported these amendments.
• Clause 1(4) already includes environmental sustainability considerations for financial assistance to agricultural businesses.
• Clause 17 requires the Secretary of State to report to Parliament on food security at least once every five years.
• The Bill aims to safeguard air quality, soil health, waterways, wildlife habitats, ancient woodlands, rolling hills, countryside treasures.
• The Conservative manifesto committed to maintaining farm support at current levels throughout the Parliament.
• There is a seven-year timetable for transitioning to ELM.
• Unrestricted imports from jurisdictions with weaker rules could negatively impact livestock businesses and the environment.
• More than half of egg production in the UK is free range.
• Consumer demand has led to a shift away from caged eggs towards free-range eggs.
• British consumers are largely unaware of how meat and dairy products have been produced due to lack of clear information at point of sale.
• Four companies control 70% of the UK food retail market.
• The value of Welsh agriculture to the economy was nearly £7.5 billion in 2018.
• Nearly three-quarters of all Welsh food and drink exports were destined for Europe in 2018.
• Trade negotiations with the US would take 60 deals to match what will be lost due to a botched Brexit transition phase.
• New clause 4 seeks to make the Secretary of State a trade champion for British agriculture.
• Licenses can take up to three years to be granted for food exports.
• France and America lifted bans on British beef decades after CJD was an issue.
• Thailand's laws can inadvertently create barriers to exporting alcohol products.
• New clause 1 is considered misguided as it could introduce process-based regulations contrary to WTO standards.
• New clause 5 aims to protect public health from hazardous impacts of pesticides.
• Amendment 42 would enable the Secretary of State to monitor progress towards integrated pest management based on agroecological practices, including organic farming.
• The EU proposes at least 25% farmland to be organic with a 50% reduction in pesticide use by 2030.
• New clause 14 sets a target for net zero greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture and land use by 2050.
• New clause 1 is not compatible with WTO rules.
• The proposal would harm current free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations with the US, Australia, and New Zealand.
• Developing countries cannot afford to implement UK-level animal welfare standards.
• The Agriculture Bill aims to build future resilience for food and environmental security.
• Farmers face unexpected financial hardship due to covid-19.
• New trading agreements present an opportunity to ban unfair trading practices.
• Food imports must meet equivalent standards as those in the UK.
• Public funds should ensure landowners maintain public rights of way.
• The agri-food sector represents about 10% of activity in Northern Ireland, higher than the UK average.
• New clause 9 addresses initial UK-wide framework needs post-Brexit and proposes a sunset clause for Northern Ireland's application of schedule 6 until 2026.
• Northern Ireland needs to align with EU regulations due to the protocol, creating uncertainty about future trade interactions.
• The MP supports the Agriculture Bill overall.
• New clauses 1 and 2 are opposed by the MP due to potential damage to long-term interests of farmers and the country.
• The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is considering a new grant scheme to help farmers market their products.
• Accepting new clauses could create a blanket ban on imports, damaging diversified supply chains.
• The Bill lacks a key provision regarding the standard of imported agricultural produce.
• Representatives from farming, consumer, environmental, and animal welfare organizations across the UK demand statutory safeguards for high import standards.
• Egg producers are highlighted as an industry at risk due to potential unfair competition from foreign imports with lower production standards.
• The Bill aims to open doors for UK farmers to new global market opportunities.
• Farmers currently sell exports to Europe worth approximately £24 billion.
• The speaker supports the highest food and animal welfare standards, rejecting chlorinated chicken and hormone-injected beef.
• The Agriculture Bill has been in progress for almost two and a half years.
• New clause 7 suggests a coronavirus emergency food plan.
• Amendments aim to strengthen animal welfare standards.
• Labour will support new clauses 1, 2, and 6 seeking to safeguard high standards.
• The Agriculture Bill aims to support British farmers, protect rural landscapes, and ensure food security.
• Chlorine-washed chicken is not allowed under existing regulations that will be put into English law at the end of the year.
• The Government agrees to consider labelling options to reassure colleagues about high standards in farming.
• Consultation on consumer choice will take place at the end of the transition period.
• Remote divisions are taking place on new clause 2, new clause 7, amendment 39, and Third Reading.
• New clause 2 aims to ensure international trade agreements contain affirmations of UK rights and obligations under the WTO Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement.
• New clause 7 requires the Secretary of State to prepare a coronavirus emergency food plan within six months of Royal Assent.