Alliance briefs MPS on impact of import standards on agriculture

In anticipation of a Commons debate on Thursday this week (22 January 2026), the Countryside Alliance has shared a briefing note addressing the potential impact on the agriculture sector of inconsistent import standards. 

The full briefing note can be downloaded here, and the key points have been summarised below.

• The government’s plan for land use change envisages that 14% of England’s current 
  agricultural land would see a significant reduction or total loss of food production 
  by 2050.
• The government published its Animal Welfare Strategy on 22 December. Measures 
  included efforts to improve the welfare of farmed animals, including phase-outs of 
  farrowing crates for sows and cages for laying hens.
• Improving animal welfare in farming is welcome, but there is little point in setting 
  ever higher standards at home while allowing the import of products produced in 
  countries with lower standards.
• A recent Countryside Alliance report on the public sector’s procurement of British, 
  as opposed to imported, food found that only small minorities of central 
  government departments and local councils were monitoring the origins of their 
  procured food, or had a policy of seeking to procure more food produced in the UK.
• Domestic food security is national security and must be protected.
  
  

Read the full Briefing Note

Download now