Tuesday, June 04, 2019
Nobody here but us chickens
With the Donald Trump state visit ongoing, the United States President continues to tout his view that once the UK has rid itself of the 'shackles' of EU membership, a big trade deal awaits us. What is not clear is who will benefit most from that deal and on what terms.
As I have stated on a number of occasions here, ceasing to be a member of the biggest free trade block in the world, leaves the UK especially vulnerable and with virtually no cards to play in any negotiation. We need them more than they need us.
The food safety standards we currently enjoy and are able to enforce as a member of the EU for example, will suddenly become negotiable. That is why the Independent report on a recent Channel Four Dispatches programme is especially disturbing.
They have exposed the risk of food poisoning because of “dangerous” practices at a US chicken factory, highlighting the danger of cross-contamination with the deadly bacteria salmonella and campylobacter, because of poor standards outlawed by the EU:
As normal in the US, the chicken is washed in chemicals – a practice banned in the UK under EU law because scientists fear it does not remove bacteria and simply masks safety failures.
Nevertheless, the US has made clear it will demand the UK accept chemical-washed poultry in any trade deal – and Liam Fox, the international trade secretary, has suggested a ban will be impossible.
The expose by the Dispatches programme – ahead of exploratory trade talks between Theresa May and Donald Trump on his state visit – uncovered:
As I have stated on a number of occasions here, ceasing to be a member of the biggest free trade block in the world, leaves the UK especially vulnerable and with virtually no cards to play in any negotiation. We need them more than they need us.
The food safety standards we currently enjoy and are able to enforce as a member of the EU for example, will suddenly become negotiable. That is why the Independent report on a recent Channel Four Dispatches programme is especially disturbing.
They have exposed the risk of food poisoning because of “dangerous” practices at a US chicken factory, highlighting the danger of cross-contamination with the deadly bacteria salmonella and campylobacter, because of poor standards outlawed by the EU:
As normal in the US, the chicken is washed in chemicals – a practice banned in the UK under EU law because scientists fear it does not remove bacteria and simply masks safety failures.
Nevertheless, the US has made clear it will demand the UK accept chemical-washed poultry in any trade deal – and Liam Fox, the international trade secretary, has suggested a ban will be impossible.
The expose by the Dispatches programme – ahead of exploratory trade talks between Theresa May and Donald Trump on his state visit – uncovered:
- Piles of chicken left on conveyor belts for long periods of time, at the risk of cross contamination.
- Boxes of chicken stacked on top of each other – which could also cause cross-contamination.
- Workers touching raw chicken with bare hands – while one cleared drains with gloved hands, merely washing the gloves before going back to touching raw chicken.
- Drains blocked with chicken – while pieces of and innards lay on the floor and water leaked from machinery.
- Flooded and broken floors where “bacteria could breed”, an EU meat safety expert warned.
- A worker having three fingers amputated, after being asked to operate a machine they had not been trained to use.
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What was especially worrying was that the factory where Dispatches went undercover was run by the second biggest packaged meat producer in the US, with, if I recall correctly, one-quarter of the market. Tyson is also a major exporter.
If a trade deal is signed and the health risks become true attempting to ban the food will be open to the UK being sued for breaking a trade deal. Mass export of contaminated food will also increase the risk to health thus leading to more pressure on the NHS.
With a huge influx of chicken from the US at a cheap price there would have to be a quota installed to allow competition from others to be viable to allow choice . without serious 'horse trading' it will be cheap suspect chicken versus more expensive chicken with higher standards..A rich v poor divide with all that that entails.
In a poor negotiation position we are vulnerable to exploitation in more than just food.
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In a poor negotiation position we are vulnerable to exploitation in more than just food.
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