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The newly appointed Trade and Agriculture Commission announced last Friday has been given six months to produce a final report, to be presented to the British Parliament by the Department for International Trade.
Confirming the make-up of the Commission last week, Trade Secretary Liz Truss said that it has been established to provide expert advice to government. Its remit is to help ensure that any future trade deals provide the best opportunities for the UK farming industry, while also not undermining animal welfare and environmental standards in food production.
The 16-member commission is to be chaired by former Tesco director and Food Standards Agency chief, Tim Smith.
All of the UK’s farming unions are represented, with the panel including NFU Scotland president Andrew McCornick, and incoming UFU president Victor Chestnutt.
However, the NFU in England has opted to put director Nick von Westenholz forward rather than any of its presidential team.
Other members include representatives from food processing, food retail and hospitality, as well as former New Zealand Agriculture Minister Sir Lockwood Smith. Former UK chief vet Nigel Gibbens is the sole vet on the commission, which has drawn criticism from the British Veterinary Association (BVA). In a letter to Liz Truss, the BVA has asked her to re-consider, pointing out that trade cannot happen without veterinary involvement.
Also commenting, National Sheep Association (NSA) chief executive Phil Stocker welcomed the commission’s formation, but said that it must take on board the interests of all sectors, and noted a concern that six months is a tight window to complete a report.
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