The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) has urged the Government to keep to its commitments on maintaining the UK’s high food standards in any new trade deal with the US, amid reports a new agreement is to be announced.

While CIEH welcomes news of a free trade deal being signed with the US as a boost to economic growth, any deal must not undermine the UK’s high environmental and food standards.

If UK farming is forced to compete on price with countries like the US that operate to different or lower standards, not only could UK farming become unprofitable, but this could lead to a lowering of standards, including of food quality, environmental protection, and animal welfare.

Among the differences in food chain approaches between the UK and US in food standards are practices such as chlorinating chicken and hormone-treated beef, both which if sold in the UK could pose potential risks to public health.

Therefore, CIEH will be scrutinising the details of the trade deal closely and representing the views of our members who have made it abundantly clear that any undercutting of our standards could have serious repercussions on our public health.

CIEH President Mark Elliott, said:

“The Government’s signing of a trade deal with the US is a welcome step in terms of its desire to boost economic growth, something which CIEH welcomes.

“However, the lack of parliamentary scrutiny on the terms of this agreement ahead of it being signed is a concern and we will be looking closely at the deal to ensure no concessions have been made which could have an adverse impact on the UK’s high food and environmental standards.

“There are serious questions about how importing cheaper food from the other side of the world not only impacts on the UK’s food security or sustainability, but how it helps the Government meet its wider environmental pledges or commitment to achieving net-zero.

“We hope the UK Government has stuck closely to its environmental commitments and not undermined our high food standards in an attempt to get this trade deal over the line.”