Sunday, May 08, 2022
Post-Brexit trade deal breaks promise on animal welfare
Those who voted for Brexit cannot say they were not warned, as many of us were clear during the referendum that leaving the EU free trade area and its exacting animal welfare standards could well backfire on us, and on our own agricultural industry, and so it is coming to pass.
The Independent reports that meat from cows kept in harsh conditions banned in the UK will be imported under the trade deal struck with Australia, despite government promises to improve animal welfare after Brexit.
The paper says that cattle are transported for up to 48 hours without eating and drinking in parts of Australia, its High Commissioner has admitted – and those animals are included in the deal hailed by Boris Johnson as a big prize from leaving the EU:
The journeys are more than three times the limit of 14 hours without stopping for food and water in this country, a figure expected to be cut to 10.5 hours under post-Brexit changes.
Compassion in World Farming called the move “completely unacceptable”, while the RSPCA warned it paved the way for further trade deals that will permit “poor animal welfare”.
Australia has raised eyebrows by arguing its Brahman cattle are more “durable” than cows in the UK and therefore able to cope with 48-hour journeys without a break.
George Brandis, the High Commissioner, also told MPs the “vast majority” of its cows live in less remote areas from which journey times are much shorter.
But Barry Gardiner, a member of the Commons environment committee which is investigating the deal, said: “We no longer send children up chimneys in this country.
Australia argues its Brahman cattle are more ’durable’ than UK cows – and can endure 48-hour journeys
“It was never in the latter years very common – but we put a law in place to stop it. The fact it does not happen very often does not mean there should not be a law in place to stop it.”
The committee has questioned other animal welfare practices in Australia, including hot branding, painful cutting of sheep (mulesing) and the lack of CCTV in slaughterhouses to trap rule-breakers.
Yet more government pledges unravelling before our eyes.
The Independent reports that meat from cows kept in harsh conditions banned in the UK will be imported under the trade deal struck with Australia, despite government promises to improve animal welfare after Brexit.
The paper says that cattle are transported for up to 48 hours without eating and drinking in parts of Australia, its High Commissioner has admitted – and those animals are included in the deal hailed by Boris Johnson as a big prize from leaving the EU:
The journeys are more than three times the limit of 14 hours without stopping for food and water in this country, a figure expected to be cut to 10.5 hours under post-Brexit changes.
Compassion in World Farming called the move “completely unacceptable”, while the RSPCA warned it paved the way for further trade deals that will permit “poor animal welfare”.
Australia has raised eyebrows by arguing its Brahman cattle are more “durable” than cows in the UK and therefore able to cope with 48-hour journeys without a break.
George Brandis, the High Commissioner, also told MPs the “vast majority” of its cows live in less remote areas from which journey times are much shorter.
But Barry Gardiner, a member of the Commons environment committee which is investigating the deal, said: “We no longer send children up chimneys in this country.
Australia argues its Brahman cattle are more ’durable’ than UK cows – and can endure 48-hour journeys
“It was never in the latter years very common – but we put a law in place to stop it. The fact it does not happen very often does not mean there should not be a law in place to stop it.”
The committee has questioned other animal welfare practices in Australia, including hot branding, painful cutting of sheep (mulesing) and the lack of CCTV in slaughterhouses to trap rule-breakers.
Yet more government pledges unravelling before our eyes.
