Starmer's US trade deal ‘will flood market with substandard beef'

Telegraph

09-05-2025

Britain's trade deal with the US will flood the market with substandard beef, farming campaigners have warned.
The UK and US will cut taxes on beef imports and exports as part of the agreement announced on Thursday.
Steve Reed, the Environment Secretary, has insisted there will be no watering down of food standards, with imports of hormone-treated beef or chlorinated chicken remaining illegal.
But Liz Webster, the founder of the group Save British Farming, claimed low-quality beef could still enter the UK because the country's borders are not strong enough to keep it out.
'It's all very well from packaging up the details and saying, 'Oh, it's fine we will only give you the good stuff.' There is no mechanism to ensure that that happens,' she said.
'We've already got a lot of substandard food coming in here, because our borders are as good as a chocolate teapot, and there is no mechanism in America to filter out produce.'
Tom Bradshaw, the president of the National Farmers Union, stressed the importance of strong standards on American food imports.
'In any trade deal with the US, ministers must uphold their commitments and ensure that food that would be illegal to produce here from a food safety, animal welfare or environmental perspective is not granted access to our market,' he said on Wednesday, before the deal was announced.
After its announcement, he praised the Government for maintaining high food standards and securing access to the US market for British beef farmers.
He said: 'We appreciate the Government's efforts in listening to our concerns, particularly around maintaining high standards, protecting sensitive agricultural sectors and securing reciprocal access for beef.
'For several years, we've campaigned with the UK's agricultural attachés in Washington for market access for British beef, a product globally respected for its quality and strong environmental credentials.
'These efforts have contributed to enabling the UK government to secure ring-fenced access for British beef exports to the US.'
The deal on agriculture gives British farmers a tariff-free quota for 13,000 metric tonnes of beef exports – equivalent to 52 million steaks.
US tariffs on British beef typically vary between 4 per cent and 26 per cent depending on the type and quality of cut, according to the World Trade Organisation. Britain's tariffs on American beef stand at up to 20 per cent.
The UK's beef farming industry was worth an estimated £3.9 billion in 2024, while the US beef industry was valued at £81.52 billion.
One beef farmer called on the Government to be stringent on food imports from America.
Ian McCubbine a Surrey-based farmer, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'I think that we have to be careful that we are stringent about food standards.
'Our beef, in fact, our whole food chain is globally reckoned to be the best quality of everything. And I'm slightly concerned that the US want to put stuff into us which is going to be lower quality.'
He added: 'I know I hear all the stuff that's going to be stringently looked at and stuff like that, but sometimes the devil is in the details.'
He said the Government had to be 'strong' about standards, adding: 'We've spent probably the last 50 years building an industry that is strong on environmental gain, is strong on animal welfare.
'We stopped our grocery gross hormones, probably 35-40 years ago.'
He added the main problem was not knowing what was being given to livestock in America.
'A Texas feedlot that's 19-miles long, how do we know what they're putting in? We just don't know. We just don't know that.'
But writing for The Telegraph, Mr Reed said: 'I have always been clear: no hormone-treated beef, no chlorinated chicken.
'As promised, these products remain illegal in the UK. That will not change,' he said. 'But that isn't all. For the first time ever, this Labour Government has secured exclusive access for UK beef farmers to the US market.
'That means there is a major opportunity to increase exports to the world's largest consumer market where our high-quality beef products are in demand.
'Only very few other countries enjoy this level of access.'
On Friday, Labour's chief secretary to the Treasury insisted that the US-UK trade deal will not open the door to hormone-treated beef imports into Britain.
Darren Jones said the Government's rules on food standards 'have not changed and they will not change'.
He told the Today programme: 'Our food standards have been protected. They have not changed and they will not change.
'What that means of course is that companies, whether in the United States or in other parts of the world, know that because of those food production standards if they try to import hormone-treated meat, for example, that that is in breach of the law, there are checks on these products at the border and if people are in breach of the law there will be consequences for that.'
No hormone-treated beef or chlorinated chicken on British soil
By Steve Reed, the Environment Secretary
This Government will always act in the national interest to protect British businesses and jobs across the economy.
Thousands of jobs have been saved by the groundbreaking deal with the US.
As the Prime Minister said, it is fitting that we took this step to deepen our ties with America 80 years after VE Day.
It's the second major trade announcement in a week – after the India Free Trade Agreement on Tuesday – this historic agreement with the US has cut tariffs for some of the UK's most vital industries.
UK carmakers and steelworkers will all feel the benefit, as lower tariffs translate into lower costs.
The deal we signed on Thursday will also protect British farmers and uphold our high animal welfare and environmental standards.
This Labour Government will always act in the national interest to protect Britain's farmers and secure our food security.
The Tories sold our farmers down the river with their dodgy trade deals.
As the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, I have always been clear: no hormone-treated beef, no chlorinated chicken.
As promised, these products remain illegal in the UK. That will not change.
Compare this approach to Nigel Farage who has threatened to betray our farmers, allowing chicken washed in chlorine and reared in the most appalling conditions to flood the UK market, which could put British producers out of business.
But that isn't all. For the first time ever, this Government has secured exclusive access for UK beef farmers to the US market.
That means there is a major opportunity to increase exports to the world's largest consumer market where our high-quality beef products are in demand.
Only very few other countries enjoy this level of access.
All this comes alongside the India trade deal, which is a major boost for our world-class food and drink industry with lamb, salmon, whisky and gin benefiting from lower tariffs.
These deals are another step on the road to a more profitable farming sector. And our support for our farmers and growers is steadfast, with £5 billion being invested into sustainable food production, and a New Deal for farmers backing British produce in the public sector too.
This Government has a Plan for Change that will growth the economy, and our trade deals show are we are delivering for Britain.