As trade talks heat up between the UK and the US, British farmers are sending a clear message to their government: don’t dilute food standards, especially when it comes to hormone-treated beef.
With US Vice President JD Vance suggesting a “good chance” of a deal, British livestock farmers are steadfast that any US beef imports must meet the same standards as locally produced meat.
David Barton, Livestock Chair for the National Farmers’ Union (NFU), made it clear: “We wouldn’t accept anything that doesn’t meet our standards.”
His statement reflects the deep-rooted commitment to British farming practices, especially after previous negotiations stalled over similar issues.
The core sticking point? Hormones in beef production. Barton, who raises hundreds of cattle in the Cotswolds, acknowledges the difference between UK and US farming but draws a firm line when it comes to hormone use.
“In the US, that’s their standard practice, but not here,” he said. “We’ve decided as a nation we’re not going down that road.”
The debate over hormone use in beef production underscores a larger issue in UK-US trade talks. While US beef farmers may use hormones to speed up growth and lower costs, British standards have banned such practices since the 1980s.
Barton insists that to maintain the high standards of British beef, allowing lower-quality imports would undermine the entire industry.
For now, the British government maintains that food and farming regulations are non-negotiable. Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds emphasized, “This is a really important area we won’t compromise on, and the US understands that.”
However, with trade negotiations in the balance, the question remains: could pressure for cheaper imports sway this stance?
Industry experts are skeptical. Professor David Wain, an animal welfare specialist at the Royal Agricultural University in Cirencester, reassures, “The main drivers in the UK meat industry are retailers, and they demand high standards.”
As the trade talks unfold, British consumers and farmers alike are standing firm on the issue of food quality, and for now, hormone-treated beef from the US appears unlikely to enter the market.
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