Newbury MP Laura Farris defends support of controversial Agriculture Bill

"I stand loyal and consistent on the principle of animal welfare and protecting British farmers”

NEWBURY MP Laura Farris has defended her decision to support the controversial Agriculture Bill 2020, saying it was the wrong place to introduce restrictions on trade, but that she would back British farmers on trade agreements.

The bill reached the House of Lords yesterday (Wednesday) after being voted through the House of Commons despite concerns that it could put farmers up and down the country out of business.

The legislation – the first to be voted on virtually – will replace the EU subsidy system based on the size of each farm with one that promotes food production at the same time as requiring farmers to manage their land for the public good.

Significantly however, the bill doesn’t contain any measures preventing a trade agreement to be agreed that allows lower quality agricultural or food products to be imported into the country.

This means chlorinated chicken or hormone-injected beef could be allowed into the UK, competing against domestic farmers’ produce, which is required to meet much higher standards.

Mrs Farris, who voted in favour of the bill and against an amendment from Conservative rebel Neil Parish which would have compelled ministers to apply current UK food and farming standards to future deals on international trade, said the bill would be “transformational” for the British farming industry.

She said: “The bill in itself is an important, transformational piece of legislation that will be really helpful to famers in West Berkshire because it’s the Government providing subsidies for the diversification of land and for increasing environmental protection and animal welfare.

“It’s creating a link between agriculture and the public good.”

On concerns that the bill could allow inferior produce to undercut British farmers, Mrs Farris argued that it was the wrong place to impose trade restrictions and that she would vote against agreements that could permit lower quality produce to be imported.

She said: “I thought very carefully about voting for the amendment, but I accepted the counter argument of the Government which was that it’s not desirable for the Department for Trade to have red lines imposed on it in what is meant to be a domestic agriculture bill.

“The Department of Trade must be able to enter into trade agreements with its hands untied, and we’ll have the opportunity to approve or not approve trade deals as they come through.

“If we’re not satisfied that animal welfare commitments have been honoured we’ll have further opportunity to hold the Government’s feet to the fire.

“Yes, I will [vote against trade agreements harming British farmers].

“I accept the Government’s argument, but I stand loyal and consistent on the principle of animal welfare and protecting British farmers.”

Mrs Farris is also calling for a Trade, Food and Farming Standards Commission to be set up to give the public and farmers real reassurances that the British farming industry won’t be undercut.