TORIES PAVE THE WAY FOR ‘FRANKENFOOD’ IMPORTS

The threat to Scottish food and drink standards is growing, as a new report says "agriculture liberalisation" will be a key focus for the United States under any administration.

The Policy Exchange report concludes that "improving market access for US agriculture exports" will be a priority, fuelling concerns of 'frankenfood' imports flooding the UK market and harming Scotland's high-quality food and drink industry.

Last Saturday, the UK Department for International Trade appeared to be paving the way for low-standard food imports, tweeting an article defending chlorinated chicken currently banned in the UK under EU-wide higher food and animal welfare standards.

This at a time when the UK Tory Government plots a power grab on the The Scottish Parliament, where agriculture, food, environmental and animal welfare standards are fully devolved.

Research by Which? has revealed that 72% of people do not want products such as chlorine-washed chicken and hormone-fed beef to be allowed on sale in the UK at all.

Commenting, Patricia Gibson MP said:

"The threat to Scotland's food and drink industry from a Tory-Trump trade deal is growing by the day, as demands to flood the UK market with low-standard frankenfood imports like chlorine chicken, ractopamine pork and hormone-injected beef intensify.

"With plans for a power grab on the Scottish Parliament to force through lower food and animal welfare standards, it's clear the Tories cannot be trusted to keep their promises to Scottish farmers, producers and consumers.

"Instead of trampling over Scotland's interests to satisfy President Trump, the Prime Minister must rule out any attempt to roll-back devolution or undermine our thriving food and drink industry.

"The Scottish National Party (SNP) will resist this Tory power grab every step of the way and there is wide consensus among parties in the Scottish Parliament against any attack on the devolution settlement.

"Instead of isolating themselves further, the Tories in Scotland must join cross-party efforts to prevent the threat to Scotland's economy and democracy. Jackson Carlaw must come out of hiding and find a backbone or people will conclude that Scotland’s Tories will always do Boris Johnson's bidding no matter how damaging.

"Scotland has been completely ignored by Westminster throughout the Brexit process and now devolution is under attack. Whatever happens, it is clearer than ever that the only way to protect our economy is to become an independent country."

'Policy Exchange: The art of a US-UK trade deal'

https://policyexchange.org.uk/…/the-art-of-a-us-uk-trade-d…/

'UK Department for International Trade'

https://twitter.com/tradegovuk/status/1281869056086343680…

'Consumer group raises alarm over US food safety'

https://www.thescottishfarmer.co.uk/…/18526253.consumer-gr…/

'The US will 'push off' a post-Brexit UK trade deal until its food standards demands are met'

https://www.businessinsider.com/robert-lighthizer-trump-us-…

Tory food imports vote fury

https://www.thescottishfarmer.co.uk/…/18452765.scots-tory-…/

Scottish Tories Slammed for Sell Out Vote on Scottish Food Production

http://www.thehighlandtimes.com/…/scottish-tories-slammed-…/