293: How post-Brexit trade deals could affect UK food standards

<div>What will be the impact of Britain’s withdrawal from the EU on food standards in the UK?<br> <br> </div> <div>When the <a href="https://foodmatterslive.com/article/food-bill-costs-britain-gone-up-6-percent-brexit-new-report/">Brexit</a> referendum was held, trade was trumpeted as a great benefit. No longer would the UK be constrained by EU deals; the country could sign trade agreements with whomever it wanted.    <br> <br> </div> <div>Almost immediately, concerns were raised about the effect on food standards, food quality and animal welfare. Consumers and farmers would suffer, it was said.<br> <br> </div> <div>Well, several years on, those trade deals are slowly emerging, and the warnings have returned.     <br> <br> </div> <div>A recent focus has been the <a href="https://foodmatterslive.com/article/agriculture-forestry-and-fishing-industry-expected-to-lose-94m-in-uk-australia-trade-deal/">big trade deal signed with Australia</a>, which eliminates tariffs on a vast range of products, including lamb, beef, sugar, and dairy.     <br> <br> </div> <div>The Australia deal was the first to be built from scratch, most others have rolled over from what the UK had when it was in the EU, or in some cases deals have been slightly extended.<br> <br> </div> <div>The brand-newness of the Australia deal makes it significant. But how big a deal is it and how significant is the food and farming sector within it?  <br> <br> </div> <div>Critics say the Australia deal is bad news for British agriculture and environmental standards.   <br> <br> </div> <div> <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/uk-australia-free-trade-agreement">The UK Government says it will unlock billions in additional trade, and boost wages across the country.<br> </a><br> </div> <div>The policy paper from government said “imports will still have to meet the same food safety and biosecurity standards as they did before.  <br> <br> </div> <div>"For the UK this means, for example, that imports of hormone-treated beef will continue to b