Mark has welcomed the formal launch of the new Trade and Agriculture Commission, unveiled by International Trade Secretary Liz Truss at an event in Whitehall today.
The Commission will ensure our high standards are upheld and our farmers are able seize new opportunities to export their goods abroad. This will help the UK agriculture sector to be amongst the most competitive and innovative in the world.
It will provide expert advice to government to ensure UK trade policy secures opportunities for UK farmers and upholds high standards. It will also advise on trade policy that will help boost the North West’s food and drink exports. The North West has a significant presence of global organisations and high profile brands such as Kellogg’s, Nestle, Heinz, Princes Foods and Diageo, as well as a wide range of high quality, independent, local and regional food companies and growers.
The Commission was established to bring together stakeholders across the industry, calling on their expertise to advise on:
- Trade policies the Government should adopt to secure opportunities for UK farmers, while ensuring the sector remains competitive and that animal welfare and environmental standards in food production are not undermined.
- Advancing and protecting British consumer interests and those of developing countries.
- How the UK engages the WTO to build a coalition that helps advance higher animal welfare standards across the world.
- Developing trade policy that identifies and opens up new export opportunities for the UK agricultural industry – in particular for SMEs – and that benefits the UK economy as a whole
International Trade Secretary, Liz Truss, said: “We’re stepping up our engagement with all the groups who have an interest in Britain’s agriculture trade policy. The Trade and Agriculture Commission will ensure the voices of the public and industry are heard, and that their interests are advanced and protected. It will advise the government on how Britain can remain a world-leader in animal welfare and environmental standards, and how we can seize new export opportunities for our farmers.
“This is about putting British farming at the heart of our trade policy and ensuring that our agriculture industry is amongst the most competitive and innovative in the world.”
MP for Workington, Mark Jenkinson said: “I welcome the measures that have been taken by the Government to create this commission. Britain is a world leader in animal welfare and it is right and proper that those standards are maintained.
New export opportunities for British farmers are important for the sector and I welcome the grown-up approach that is being taken- where the views of experts and those well versed in this area are consulted.”
