Brexit Risks ‘Race to the Bottom’ on Animal Welfare, Lords Say
- Report says U.K. should add farm welfare rules to trade deals
- Trade deals must work for farmers, consumers, spokesman says
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British farmers risk losing out to cheaper, imported food after leaving the European Union if ministers don’t keep strict standards for farm animal welfare, lawmakers said.
As the government pushes for free trade deals after Brexit, welfare standards could decline and create an opportunity for lower-cost producers, which would disadvantage British farmers, the House of Lords EU Energy and Environment Sub-Committee said in a report on Tuesday. U.K. farms have some of the world’s highest animal welfare standards, but also higher production costs.