In a version of the strategy leaked to the Guardian on Friday, the government pledged to make it easier for countries to import goods if they have high animal welfare standards. The draft states: “We will pursue the liberation associated with animal welfare in our own [free trade agreements]allowing us to offer a more generous release for products that are certified to meet certain key animal welfare criteria set out in the agreement. “ But the final version does not have that and is simply committed to “examining” animal welfare and the environment when it comes to free trade agreements. Caroline Lucas, a Brighton Green MP, said: “This looks like another shameful missed opportunity to incorporate strict animal welfare protection into our free trade agreements. “We need a full explanation from the government as to why this item was removed and whose requests it is.” The government’s White Paper, described as the first such strategy in 75 years, rejected most of Tsar Henry Dimbleby’s ambitious policies, which he described in a report released last year. Dimbleby made a number of high-profile proposals, including a significant expansion to free school meals, higher environmental standards and agricultural prosperity, and a 30% reduction in meat and dairy consumption. None of this has entered the final strategy. Rob Percival, head of food policy at the Soil Association, said: “It’s remarkable that the approach to trade in the final strategy seems to be different from the approach outlined in the draft leaked to the Guardian on Friday. “Why has the strategy been weakened? This is proof of a rift in government, Defra [the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs] was violated by DIT [the Department for International Trade]? Farmers will need more than positive rhetoric if they are to continue to raise standards of prosperity and the environment. “The government urgently needs to develop basic business models.” Subscribe to the First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every morning at 7 p.m. BST Claire Bass, executive director of Humane Society International, said: “This smoky and mirror approach to ensuring animal welfare in imported products is simply not washable. Instead of adopting a handbook of basic animal welfare standards that will govern trade, we are now waiting for an animal health “declaration” that will “inform the negotiations”. “This lenient policy approach will put the UK at the forefront of negotiations with important trading partners such as the US, and in practice British barriers to trade in animal welfare will be removed at the first sign of any objection.” Farmers said they were disappointed with the decline in trade and that it was putting English producers at a disadvantage. Patrick Holden, a dairy farmer and director of the Sustainable Food Trust, said the lifting of the animal welfare commitment was unjustified, adding: “Unfortunately, I’m not surprised to see this section removed. Farmers in this country are worried that they may be disappointed with lower imports – and they are not wrong. “Britain has had such an opportunity to show leadership in this area – this was an opportunity missed, we are now signing these dirty trade agreements and it continues to weaken what was already a very sparse trade package.” Defra declined to comment.
