Landworkers' Alliance Press Release- Free-trade deal threatens UK Food Security

[Adam]

Find attached the Landworkers' Alliance latest press release.


 


Free-trade deal threatens UK Food Security


 


For immediate release 08/07/2014


 


Farmers and growers from the Landworkers' Alliance will
protest in London on the 12th July calling for the free trade negotiations
between the EU and the US to be scrapped. 


 


The controversial Transatlantic Trade and Investment
Partnership (TTIP) is the biggest bilateral trade deal in history but

negotiations are taking place behind closed doors. They aim to ‘harmonise’
standards and regulations, which will mean a shift towards the lowest common
denominator, with serious repercussions for farmer’s livelihoods and public
health.


 


If the corporations involved get their way we will see the
increasing import of inferior produce into the EU which will depress prices for
farmers. Furthermore, important health and safety standards are at risk with US
negotiators pushing to remove regulations on Genetically Modified foods,
increase the quantity of pesticide residues permitted and allow the use of
dangerous chemicals, antibiotics and growth hormones previously banned in the
EU.


   


“The EU's pre-negotiation concession to allow imports of
American beef decontaminated with lactic acid spray is indicative of what is to
come - quality in farming and food processing will be driven down into a race
to the bottom with farmers and the public loosing out” said Humphery Lloyd a
grower and member of the Landworkers’ Alliance.


 


"This agreement is shaping up to be a hand out to
corporations at the expense of public health and food security. If we degrade
our import standards in line with the demands consumers will have more than
just chlorine soaked chicken to worry about - this will force farmers out of
business and seriously erode UK food sovereignty. We demand that the government
stops selling out UK farmers and consumers in these negotiations." 


 


The LWA is a member of the international peasant farming
movement La Via Campesina which represents 200 million small-scale producers
around the world. We campaign for the rights of small-scale producers and lobby
the UK government and European parliament for policies that support the
infrastructure and markets central to our livelihoods.


 


Press Contact in London: 
Adam Payne: 07951 060409 


 


Interviews and photos 12:30pm, Department for Business,
Innovation and Skills, 1 Victoria Street, SW1H 0ET, London


 


e:LWApress at riseup.net


w: landworkersalliance.org.uk


 		 	   		   		 	   		   		 	   		  
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