It should come as no surprise that right wing Brextremists and the US dairy industry are conspiring together to weaken food safety and environmental standards post-Brexit.

Lower quality American milk and dairy products from cows with udder infections could be forced on British consumers, if the US industrialised mega-farm dairy industry get their way.

Meanwhile a coalition of conservative think tanks, pushing for a free trade agreement which adopts weaker US standards, could result in chlorinated chicken and hormone-reared beef finding their way onto our menus.

For many right wing conservatives Brexit has always been about tearing up EU standards on food safety, environmental protection and animal welfare, under the guise of freeing the UK from ‘red tape’.

Which is why farmers are right to be sceptical of Michael Gove’s pledges on retaining high food, environmental and animal welfare standards.

Any trade agreement with the US which allows for the import of food and drugs produced without current EU standards and protections will threaten the viability of our small-scale farmers and food producers; they simply could not compete with the mega-farms and giant corporations of the US.

As the risks of a Tory Brexit become ever more apparent, Greens are stepping up our demand for a final say; a referendum on the deal between the UK and EU, with the option to retain all the protections that membership of the EU offers.

MOLLY SCOTT CATO MEP
Agriculture Committee European Parliament, Brussels