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Written question asked by Lord Laird (Non-affiliated) on Thursday, 19 October 2017, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 2 November 2017. It was answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble (Conservative) on Thursday, 2 November 2017 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Livestock: Animal Welfare

Question

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the food welfare standards for hens and sows reared in Brazil, Thailand, Canada and the United States; and (2) whether future tariffs on imported poultry and pork products from those countries could be linked to higher animal welfare standards.

Answer

Brazil, Canada, Thailand and the US all have laws designed to protect farm animals, and in the case of the United States they vary from state to state. Defra is not aware of any detailed comparative analysis of these countries’ welfare standards.

All produce imported into the EU must comply with EU rules and these standards will apply to imports into the UK and domestic production when we leave the EU. As we move towards a new relationship with Europe and the rest of the world, we are determined to maintain our high standards and improve them where appropriate.

Any future trade agreements must work for consumers, farmers, and businesses in the UK. We will not water down our standards on food safety, animal welfare and environmental protection as part of any future trade deals.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
HL2278
Session
2017-19
Subjects
Animal welfare Canada Import duties Imports Poultry Pigs Standards USA Thailand Poultry meat Brazil Pigmeat
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk