Carmichael calls on government to guarantee ban on lower standard US food following tariff hike

Orkney and Shetland MP, Alistair Carmichael, has today pressed the Business Secretary to rule out the importation of US food produced to lower standards than are required of UK farmers, following the imposition of new tariffs by the United States. From Saturday, all UK goods imported into the US will face a 10% tariff, though other countries face higher rates. Mr Carmichael warned against opening the UK market to US hormone-treated beef or chlorine-treated chicken, which has been suggested as a concession required to secure a trade deal and reduce tariffs with the US.

Mr Carmichael previously requested and received a “red line” commitment from the Conservative Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan in 2022, that such products would not be permitted in any future trade deal.

Mr Carmichael is Chair of the House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee. 

Speaking in the House, Mr Carmichael said:

“Can the minister offer us any guarantee that the government will not enter into a trade deal with America that will also for the importation and sale in this country of food products that are produced to a lower environmental and animal welfare standard than those that we demand of United Kingdom farmers?”

Responding for the government, Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds MP said:

“He knows I won’t go into the detail of any negotiation, but as I said to the Opposition Frontbench, he knows our manifesto commitment to our SPS regime and that is a very important commitment on this side of the House, and that is true of all of our trade negotiations, not just this one.”

Reacting after the exchange, Mr Carmichael said:

“I was hoping for a simple ‘yes or no’ answer but it seems that was too much to hope for. I well understand the need for calmer heads in diplomacy but surely protecting our basic food standards ought to be an easy point to stick to.

“The previous Conservative government did quite a bit of harm to farmers with their mishandled trade deals. Even they, however, were able to give a commitment that hormone-treated beef and chlorine-treated chicken would not be permitted to be brought here for the sake of a US trade deal. That the new government will not make the same commitment is concerning.”