Pig World
  • News
      • Animal Health
      • Breeding
      • Business
      • Environment
      • EU
      • Food Safety
      • Housing
      • Marketing
      • NPA
      • National Pig Awards
      • New Products
      • Nutrition
      • People
      • Pig Fair
      • Politics
      • Training & Education
      • Welfare
  • Features
    • Animal Health
    • Breeding
    • Environment
    • Farm Visits
    • Herd Recording
    • Housing
    • Marketing
    • Nutrition
    • Products
    • Training
  • Comment
    • AHDB Pork
    • Chris Fogden
    • Dennis Bridgeford
    • Peter Crichton
    • Red Robin
    • Veterinary View
    • Zoe Davies, NPA
  • Numbers
  • Pig Prices
  • Magazines
    • July 2025
    • June 2025
    • 2025 Innovation supplement
    • May 2025
    • April 2025
    • March 2025
    • 2025 Buildings supplement
    • February 2025
    • 2025 Nutrition Supplement
    • January 2025
    • December 2024
    • November 2024
    • 2025 National Pig Awards supplement
    • October 2024
    • September 2024
    • August 2024
    • 2024 Pig Health supplement
    • July 2024
    • June 2024
    • 2024 Innovation supplement
    • 2024 Pig & Poultry Fair Guide
    • May 2024
    • April 2024
    • 2024 Buildings Supplement
    • March 2024
    • 2024 Pig Nutrition supplement
    • February 2024
    • January 2024
    • December 2023
    • November 2023
    • 2023 National Pig Awards supplement
    • October 2023
    • September 2023
    • Health Supplement
  • Suppliers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Classified
  • Events
    • Pigs Tomorrow
    • National Pig Awards
Podcast
Pig WorldPig World
  • News
      • Animal Health
      • Breeding
      • Business
      • Environment
      • EU
      • Food Safety
      • Housing
      • Marketing
      • NPA
      • National Pig Awards
      • New Products
      • Nutrition
      • People
      • Pig Fair
      • Politics
      • Training & Education
      • Welfare
  • Features
    • Animal Health
    • Breeding
    • Environment
    • Farm Visits
    • Herd Recording
    • Housing
    • Marketing
    • Nutrition
    • Products
    • Training
  • Comment
    • AHDB Pork
    • Chris Fogden
    • Dennis Bridgeford
    • Peter Crichton
    • Red Robin
    • Veterinary View
    • Zoe Davies, NPA
  • Numbers
  • Pig Prices
  • Magazines
    1. July 2025
    2. June 2025
    3. 2025 Innovation supplement
    4. May 2025
    5. April 2025
    6. March 2025
    7. 2025 Buildings supplement
    8. February 2025
    9. 2025 Nutrition Supplement
    10. January 2025
    11. December 2024
    12. November 2024
    13. 2025 National Pig Awards supplement
    14. October 2024
    15. September 2024
    16. August 2024
    17. 2024 Pig Health supplement
    18. July 2024
    19. June 2024
    20. 2024 Innovation supplement
    21. 2024 Pig & Poultry Fair Guide
    22. May 2024
    23. April 2024
    24. 2024 Buildings Supplement
    25. March 2024
    26. 2024 Pig Nutrition supplement
    27. February 2024
    28. January 2024
    29. December 2023
    30. November 2023
    31. 2023 National Pig Awards supplement
    32. October 2023
    33. September 2023
    34. Health Supplement
    Featured

    July 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    July 6, 2025
    Recent

    July 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    July 6, 2025

    June 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    June 4, 2025

    2025 Innovation supplement now available

    June 4, 2025
  • Suppliers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Classified
  • Events
    • Pigs Tomorrow
    • National Pig Awards
LinkedIn X (Twitter)
Pig World
Brexit

Eustice issues warning on pork imports under Canada trade deal

Alistair DriverBy Alistair DriverMarch 9, 20234 Mins Read
LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Email

Former Defra Secretary George Eustice has warned that a post-Brexit trade deals with Canada could pave the way for low-welfare pork imports.

The Cornish MP has also raised the prospect of a deal with Mexico facilitating imports of beef produce with a much higher carbon footprint than British beef.

The Guardian has highlighted that ongoing negotiations over future deals could result in splits within the Conservative Party on the issue of food import standards. This includes fears of a Conservative party revolt, with Mr Eustice raising concerns over low welfare standards for pigs in Canada, and an influential group of Tory MPs and peers gearing up to oppose the deals.

Mr Eustice, who criticised the Australia trade deal after he left is Defra role last year, said it appeared that Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch had taken a tougher line than her predecessors on beef imports. “I am hearing that the volumes on beef are low, and that in return they have also got some dairy access which makes it a more reciprocal and balanced agreement,” he said.

But he added:  “Pork could be more contentious, mainly because of lower welfare standards in Canada, but we will see.”

The Guardian article quotes animal campaigners in Canada, who say pigs there face castration, ear notching, tail docking and teeth trimming, with sows still kept in stalls, which were banned in the UK in 1999.

Conservative MPs in the Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation (CAWF) are reportedly likely to raise concerns over the prospect of pork imports in parliament.

Lorraine Platt, a campaigner who is co-founder of CAWF, said: “We are concerned by the prospect of a trade deal involving the importation of meat from Canada and Mexico. Many low-welfare practices such as the use of barren battery cages, sow stalls and hormone-fed beef are still used in Canada.

“Meanwhile Mexico’s animal welfare laws are considerably lower than our own – with little to no specific safeguards for the rearing of pigs, cattle or chickens. We urge the government to send a strong message abroad and stand firm in commitments not to compromise our animal welfare standards in future trade deals.”

A government spokesperson stressed that negotiations on the UK’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, including Canada and Mexico, are ongoing.

“The government has always been clear that we will not compromise the UK’s high food safety and animal welfare standards in trade negotiations. Our accession to CPTPP will be on terms that are right for UK companies, consumers and farmers,” the spokesperson said.

There is no indication that anything has been agreed yet on pork.

NFU president Minette Batters said the union wanted the government to take a ‘very, very firm line on further imports of beef’ from Mexico, having given away so much on beef to Australia and New Zealand, the Guardian reports.

“Environmental impacts are why beef was a sensitive sector, both in New Zealand and in Australia, and now in Mexico. And we want them now to really show that they are keeping their promises of not undermining farmers and trade deals. We don’t want to see further imports of beef,” she said.

Lindsay Duncan, farming campaigns manager for World Animal Protection sad: “While the UK still has a lot of work to do to raise welfare standards for pigs, trade deals need to acknowledge the positive steps that have been taken such as banning sow stalls and the use of growth promoters.

“Trade deals should not undermine UK farmers. This will create a race to the bottom as they try to compete with cheaper lower welfare imports. Tariffs should be in place to reflect welfare standards and support those farmers in the UK who raise pigs in high welfare conditions.”

Share. LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Email
Previous ArticleNational Fallen Stock Company (NFSCo) seeks director with pig background
Next Article Good Vibrations
Alistair Driver

Editor Pig World, group editor Agronomist and Arable Farmer and Farm Contractor. National Pig Association webmaster. Former political editor at Farmers Guardian. Occasional media pundit. Brought up on a Leicestershire farm. Works from a shed in his Oxfordshire garden.

Read Similar Stories

NPA urges government to address planning constraints and border controls in Batters review submission

July 15, 2025

June UK pig slaughterings up 2.7% year on year

July 15, 2025

Who has gone the extra mile? Nominate 2025 Chris Brant Award winner now

July 14, 2025
Latest News

NPA urges government to address planning constraints and border controls in Batters review submission

July 15, 2025

June UK pig slaughterings up 2.7% year on year

July 15, 2025

Who has gone the extra mile? Nominate 2025 Chris Brant Award winner now

July 14, 2025
Sponsored Content

THE GATEKEEPER OF RESPIRATORY HEALTH – MYCOPLASMA HYOPNEUMONIAE (M.HYO)

April 30, 2024

Tackle the root cause of PWD with free diagnostic tests

March 1, 2024
Current Pig Industry jobs
  • Senior Piggery Stockpersons – Ref 1762 Western Australia

    • Western Australia
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Assistant Pig Farm Manager – Ref 1761 Leicestershire

    • Leicestershire
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Senior-Level Pig Stockperson – Ref 1760 Hampshire

    • Hampshire
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
GETTING IN TOUCH
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Meet The Editors
  • About Us
  • Email Newsletters
  • Subscribe
  • Reuse permissions
OUR SOCIAL CHANNELS
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
PARTNER EVENTS
RELATED SITES
  • Farmers Weekly
  • Agronomist & Arable Farmer
  • Farm Contractor
  • National Pig Awards
  • Pigs Tomorrow
  • Poultry News
  • Weekly Tribune
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
© 2024 MA Agriculture Ltd, a Mark Allen Group company

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.