Jamie Blackett

Beware the rise of US beef

Photo credit should read FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images

‘Oh man, US farmers would never put up with all this crap!’ said the young American cowgirl. She was doing an internship on my farm last year and was shocked that we have to tag all our animals at birth and then record every antibiotic administered throughout their lives to ensure the complete traceability of British beef. I remember the look of incredulity on her face as I pointed out the grey hairs on my head caused by mislaid cow passports. This cultural difference between the two countries is partly why a US-UK trade deal isn’t straightforward.

Last month, parliament voted down an amendment to the Agriculture Bill, tabled by Neil Parish, the Conservative MP for Tiverton and Honiton, to safeguard food standards. The government argued that it was unnecessary as they had already committed to banning hormone-treated beef from entering the country. That swayed the majority of MPs – but the government is either being naïve or disingenuous. British farmers know that they will go on being chastised to keep very onerous records while beef produced without the same traceability enters the country. Whatever the assurances and supposed red lines, there simply aren’t the record-keeping systems on US farms or the controls in the supply chain to ensure that imported food is produced to the same standard.

Farming unions have been fighting a US trade deal using the wrong arguments

Despite being a farmer, and having reluctantly voted Remain, I have some sympathy with the frustration of politicians who want free trade deals around the world in order to reduce prices for consumers and create opportunities for exports. Many beef farmers also have sheep and can see the big opportunities for exporting lamb, partly because apart from Patagonia we have very few competitors. And I have been concerned that the farming unions have been fighting a US trade deal and using the wrong arguments to do so.

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