B+LNZ refutes UK animal welfare criticism

Last week, in an opinion piece in The Telegraph defending the UK Government’s controversial inheritance tax on farms, Steve Reed claimed the United Kingdom-New Zealand free trade agreement (FTA) signed in 2022 allowed for the import of meat products which were “produced to welfare and environmental standards so low they would be illegal in the UK”.

The claim has been roundly refuted by B+LNZ’s UK-based regional manager, Alex Gowen, who says the industry good body is taking the criticism seriously, reaching out directly to the UK Government, farmer organisations, and the UK media to address the claims.

In addressing the issue, he says, B+LNZ is also enlisting support from the New Zealand Government.

“It is simply not good enough,” says Gowen.

“We are calling for UK politicians to focus on facts, not misinformation that undermines generations of trust between British and New Zealand farmers,” he says.

“We value collaboration over division,” he adds. “If we were to compete, let it be on the rugby field, not through political grandstanding.”

B+LNZ chair Kate Acland has also written to Reed, saying that the statement he made was categorically false and undermined the reputation of New Zealand farmers.

She points out that animal welfare and sustainability were pivotal during the FTA negotiations, adding that the inclusion of a standalone chapter on animal welfare within the FTA was the first of its kind.

She notes that while farming systems may differ from those in the UK, this did not equate to lower animal welfare standards.

“Our robust regulatory framework, bolstered by comprehensive assurance schemes, ensures exceptional animal welfare by allowing livestock to live as naturally as possible,” she writes.

She has invited Reed to New Zealand to observe the country’s farming systems first-hand.