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#AgriBill 1pm 7th July

The committee stage of the debate (going line by line through the Bill and amendments) starts TOMORROW and will run for four days over two weeks. To build interest and hopefully get the debate trending, on Tuesday July 7, between 1 and 2pm, the Green team is encouraging a Twitter storm. Use the hashtag #AgriBill - maybe share one of the links below, or check out Plantlife, Soil Association, Landworkers Alliance or your favourite campaign group for ideas.

Every social media post advocating for agroecology, opposing GMOs or supporting healthy food, will show there's public interest and concern. Even talking to your family, friends and work colleagues can help spread the word and increase pressure on the government. Everyone eats - food and farming are issues for everyone.

There are a host of amendments that campaigners and Green Party members can support by raising the level of public debate around the bill – the more discussion and debate the better. The government have no natural majority in the Lords and there are signs that remote voting has made it easier for the government’s opponents to win majorities - three big improvements to the Fisheries Bill were made last month.

From ‘enabled possibilities’ to duties and targets 

Many of the amendments to this bill aim to nail things down with duties and targets, such as making farming carbon neutral by 2050 at the latest. This is a fundamental change from the ‘enabling legislation’ that the government is hoping to pass, which a Minister can act upon, or ignore. For example, the government’s promise that farming funding will be transformed to ensure public money is used for the public good, would be made into an actual duty. 

The amendments we have tabled can be seen in more detail here and we have also signed amendments tabled by other Peers all of which can be viewed here.

Timetable

Natalie writes about the 10th June second reading debate in the House of Lords here.  

The Lords Committee Stage of the Agriculture Bill begins tomorrow, 7th July and has been given only four days over two weeks. Amendments have been tabled and will be briefly debated and voted upon (we've waited two years for this Bill and the Government is now doing it in a rush).

The amendments will then go back to the Commons in September, where the government may accept some or offer tweaked versions of its own. The speaker selects which of the remaining amendments will be voted upon - the weight of Lords majorities may play a role in this.  

If you've got a spare moment you can watch the Lords debate (usually starting early afternoon) here: https://parliamentlive.tv/Lords

 

Trade

The National Farmers' Union (NFU) petition to keep existing standards for food quality and animal welfare has now reached a million signatures. Trade is going to be the key battleground in this bill as Ministers appear willing to sacrifice family farms by allowing cheap and polluted products into the UK - undercutting UK farmers - in order to reach a deal on ‘services’ with the United States (US). Without our acceptance of chlorinated chicken, hormone-laced beef and fruit and vegetables grown with scores of pesticides now banned here, the US negotiations are likely to collapse and, as we look set to crash out of the EU, this could leave businesses and farmers facing a multitude of red tape hurdles and tariffs.   

The government needs the prospect of a US trade deal to show that there is a post Brexit plan. This amendment was defeated in the Commons despite 30 Conservative rebels, but as Jenny explains in this article, many other rural MPs are under pressure from their constituents. A good majority for retention of existing standards in the Lords would add to that pressure. 

Animal Welfare  

Many of the animal welfare amendments ensure that public money is not used to support the worse aspects of factory farming - such as battery cages, farrowing crates, mutilations such as docking and debeaking, and the regular use of antibiotics associated with excessive stock densities – but we want agricultural subsidies redirected towards positive improvements, such as transitioning to high welfare standards, or from livestock to plant-based food production. 

Enforcement is key to any set of rules, so any farming activity that fails to meet animal welfare and environmental standards will be subject to financial penalties issued by the 'The animal food product traceability authority' or the Environment Agency. Improvements to labelling will ensure that consumers know what they are buying and how it was produced. 

GMOs  

The Lords also needs to prevent the rolling-back of European protections to which the UK Government has committed, particularly in relation to genetic engineering. An amendment to loosen the restrictions is being promoted by some peers. This is a winnable battle, but it could become harder if the government decide there is a popular bandwagon they can jump on.  

As Natalie makes clear in this article, science and innovation cannot be left in the hands of those who champion the multinational seed and agrochemical companies – companies whose previous choice of 'innovations' has left the natural world and human society in such a parlous state.   

Landscape and biodiversity 

The direction of public subsidy towards land management opens the way for farmers to focus upon biodiversity, soil productivity and habitats. Ideally, farming subsidies should work hand in glove with a radically reformed Environment Bill that sets binding targets - for restoring habitats, clean air and water, and cutting polluting emissions from farming - so protecting wildlife-rich habitats and halting further damage to our natural environment. 

This article from Plantlife explains how this might come about.  

Air Pollution  

Farming is one of the most surprising sources of air pollution. It remains largely unregulated and unmonitored by government. Ammonia emissions from farming can account for half of the dangerous PM2.5 particulate pollution. Farmers need funding and support to tackle the problem and Jenny is promoting an amendment to the Agriculture Bill that would allow Ministers to fund clean up measures.

There are millions of cows in the UK, but there is no monitoring or regulation of the ammonia emissions, despite cattle farms contributing to almost half of agricultural ammonia emissions. Currently, only intensive pig and poultry farms are required to estimate and self-report their ammonia emissions, but these account for only 4% of emissions nationally because they don’t require environmental permits and there is little enforcement of illegal pollution breaches.

Pesticides  

The UK does not have a good record on the use of pesticides. The area of land being treated with pesticides has risen and the number of times crops are treated with pesticides has gone up. We're seeking to make reduction in pesticide use something the government has a duty to target. The EU has set a target of 50% reduction in a decade.

We have tabled an amendment to reduce artificial inputs and supported a clause which would prohibit the application of any pesticide for the purpose of agriculture near any building used for habitation or open space used for work or recreation.