Karen welcomes launch of the new Trade and Agriculture Commission
- Commission provides expert advice to government to ensure UK trade policy secures opportunities for UK farmers and upholds high standards.
- It will advise on trade policy that will help boost the West Midland’s food and drink exports. The West Midlands is home to some of the largest food & drink companies within the UK. It boosts a vast array of producers from renowned brands producing wine and spirits through to specialist producers of craft beers and natural and organic foods.
Moorlands MP, Karen Bradley has welcomed the formal launch of the new Trade and Agriculture Commission, unveiled by International Trade Secretary Liz Truss recently.
The Commission will ensure our high standards are upheld and our farmers are able to 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.
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.
Karen commented,
"The UK has some of the highest animal welfare standards and food quality in the world. I, like so many of you, am immensely proud of our local produce and the incredible farmers who strive to deliver the very best. It is vital that we both uphold those standards and ensure the best platform for our food producers competing globally to sell their produce.
“The Commission will ensure that, as we sign new trade deals as a sovereign country, we do so in a way that protects our high standards and gives our farmers and food producers the very best opportunities."
