There’s a lot of talk around comparative / standards when it comes to #food and future #trade deals; but what do these differences mean in practice?

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EGGS

- Minimum legal requirement of enriched cages (750 sq cm) + perch, nest box & litter.

- No federal laws on hen welfare; voluntary guidelines suggest cages of 432 sq cm.

US costs = 28% lower. That’s no yolk.

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CHICKEN

- Only potable water permitted to wash carcasses. Legal maximum stocking densities/AMR protocols apply.

- No legal maximum stocking densities in major producing states - Pathogen Reduction Treatments (eg chlorine dioxide) required to wash carcasses

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BEEF

- Growth hormones banned since 1981. Primarily grass-based herds, average size 27 animals.

- Hormones widely used. Primarily grain feedlot based; 1000+ cattle herds = 90% of output.

Hormones = 20-30% productivity.

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PORK

- Sow stalls banned in 1999. Growth hormones banned in 1996. Predominantly housed in straw beds.

- Sow stalls legal in 41 states. Ractopamine growth hormones used in 60-80% of pigs. Predominantly housed on slatted floors.

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DAIRY

- Somatic cell count (SCC) limit (indicator of cow health/welfare) 400,000. Hormones banned in 1990.

- SCC limit 750,000. Widespread use of BST growth hormone, believed to cause significant cow health/welfare issues.

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CROPS

- Restricted access to modern crop protection technologies as a result of ‘hazard based’ approach.

- Full access time technologies such as GM & neonic seed treatments greater productivity & reduced costs.

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ANTIBIOTICS

- 53% in farm AB use 2014-18. Now the 5th lowest user in

- Despite 2017 federal rules, ABs crucial to human health still being used in ‘unacceptable’ quantities on farms to boost productivity.

By 2050 10m could die annually from AMR across

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TRANSPORT

- Maximum legal journey time for livestock of 12 hours. Maximum livestock densities mandated.

- Maximum journey times of 28 hours. No restrictions on maximum livestock densities.

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#Farmers everywhere work to provide #food to the best of their ability within their regulatory framework.

But our government can’t let our world-leading standards be undercut by imports of food it would be illegal to produce here.

#TradeStandards
#BackBritishFarming

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