Farmers deserve support for higher welfare, peers told

Farmers expected to adopt higher animal welfare standards should receive government support and protection from substandard imports, peers have been told.

Livestock industry leaders, academics and animal welfare organisations issued the warning as they gave evidence to the House of Lords EU energy and environment sub-committee, which is examining the implications of Brexit on farm animal welfare.

Encouraging higher animal farm welfare standards once the UK leaves the EU is a key aim of Defra minister George Eustice. But many farmers say it is already hard enough to compete against imports produced to lower standards without further ratcheting up UK welfare.

See also: Minister reveals EU exit plan for UK agriculture

Phil Stocker, chief executive of the National Sheep Association, said the UK livestock sector was already renowned for its high levels of farm animal welfare. “We need to be wary of unintended consequences of stepping up regulations,” he said.

NFU deputy president Minette Batters said the union absolutely supported the government’s ambition to maintain welfare standards. But the NFU had “huge concerns” for animal welfare if the UK left the EU and reverted to World Trade Organization rules.

This threatened to leave UK producers exposed to a flood of cheap food imports often produced to standards below those adhered to by British farmers – a concern also raised by Chris Mallon, director of the National Beef Association (NBA).

No NBA member had ever called for lower welfare standards, said Mr Mallon. But farmers did not want to be competing against imports of substandard beef on British shelves. “Their fear is what else is going to be allowed to come in through trade agreements?”

Support needed

Peter Stevenson, of campaign group Compassion in World Farming, agreed the feasibility of improving welfare standards on British farms would depend on the government’s ability to protect UK producers from imports of a lower standard.

Mr Stevenson said: “Improvements would best be made on a voluntary basis – though sometimes regulation may be needed.

“Improvements should be supported by post-CAP support payments and by public procurement.”

A similar view was given by Joe Bayley, head of agriculture at RSCPA Assured.

The organisation was looking at farm support payments to promote animal welfare – with a higher tier funding producers who delivered the highest standards.

Siobhan Mullan, of Bristol University veterinary school, said it was clear that a market-led approach did not work. Some consumers were being charged way over the odds for food produced to higher welfare standards – with many consumers unable to afford it.

This meant fewer farmers were willing to adopt higher welfare production systems, said Dr Mullan. There was a clear role for the government to encourage wider uptake through an animal welfare scheme similar to the countryside stewardship approach.