118: Are British food standards in jeopardy?
The UK is world leading in its food standards and laws around animal welfare. However, trade deals with the US and Australia could mean these standards will be lowered to allow cheap imports. From chlorinated chicken to hormone beef this could have a huge impact on the quality of our food and the ability of our farmers to compete on price. About our panel Anna Sands, Trade Policy Specialist, WWF UK Anna Sands is trade policy specialist at WWF UK. She leads on advocacy for the UK’s new independent trade policy to work for climate, nature and people. Prior to WWF, she worked at the Global Economic Governance Programme at the Blavatnik School of Government, a research centre focusing on how the global economy could be governed in a more sustainable and equitable way. David Baldock, Senior Fellow, Agriculture and Land Management Fellow, Institute for European Environmental Policy David's background is in philosophy and economics. He joined the Institute in the mid-1980s to establish a programme of work on agricultural and rural environmental issues. He became Deputy Director in 1992, Director in 1998 and active Senior Fellow in 2016. As well as being an authority on European agricultural policy and the environment, David's specialist areas include EU strategies for climate, natural resources, and public investment. He has an active interest in sustainable development and the growing implications of building a bio-economy. Current external commitments include membership of the Commission's high-level group on the competitiveness of the car industry in Europe. Liz Webster, Founder, Save British Farming Save British Farming (SBF) was founded by Liz Webster, a farmer in Wiltshire, with the objective of protecting our food standards and our farmers’ livelihoods. Sophie Medlin, Director and Specialist Dietitian, City Dietitian & Chair of the British Dietetic Association for London Sophie Medlin is a well-recognised consultant dietitian and is the Chair for the British Dietetic Association for London. Sophie has expertise in gastrointestinal and colorectal health. She worked in acute hospitals specialising in gastrointestinal diseases before moving into academia, where she worked as a lecturer at King’s College London. Sophie is a go-to spokesperson for media when it comes to evidence-based nutrition, regularly featuring in print, broadcast and social media.