MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

US farm lobbies want a post-Brexit UK food quality standard lowered

The meat lobby wants the sale of growth hormone-fed beef, currently banned in the UK and EU, to be allowed in the UK

United States lobby groups for agriculture and pharmaceutical firms want UK standards changed to be closer to those of the US in a post-Brexit trade deal. The meat lobby wants the sale of growth hormone-fed beef, currently banned in the UK and EU, to be allowed in the UK.

The drugs company lobby wants changes to the NHS drugs approval process to allow it to buy more of US drugs. They are also asking US officials - who will hold a hearing later - to seek lower tariffs on agricultural goods.

The farming groups say any deal should move away from EU standards, including rules governing genetically modified crops, antibiotics in meats, and pesticides and herbicides, such as glyphosate. Technology groups are also setting out their wish-lists for any pact. Companies in this sector are against the UK's proposed digital tax.

The UK government has promised to look at ways of taxing US technology giants, such as Amazon and Google, which critics say do not pay their fair share of tax in the UK and therefore operate at an unfair advantage to physical companies.

UK negotiations could represent “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity”, the National Grain and Feed Association and North American Export Grain Association wrote. The groups said a new deal could create a trans-Atlantic market “that can act as a bastion against the EU's precautionary advances and its ongoing aggressive attempts to spread its influence around the globe”.

US business groups from the agricultural sector have been among the most vocal, amounting to nearly a third of all comments. The groups, which as well as meat, drug and technology firms include producers of olive oil, wine, nuts, fruit, and dairy products, say they want to see the UK reduce tariffs on food products. They also want to limit geographic labeling rules, such as those that bar US companies from using terms such as Prosecco.

The Animal Health Institute, which produces animal antibiotics, was among several groups that said it would not support a deal that did not address demands by the US agricultural sector.

“We have noted with concern statements by certain UK officials indicating a desire to exclude the agricultural sector from the negotiation and an intention of maintaining regulatory harmonization with the European Union,” it said. “Should the UK adopt such policies, we see little basis for the negotiation of a bilateral trade agreement.”