We call on the UK government, and businesses in the agricultural and pharmaceutical sector, to stand firm in the face of increasing pressure to lower our standards for food and drugs in Britain.

US lobby groups for agriculture and pharmaceutical firms want UK standards changed to be closer to those of the US, in a post-Brexit trade deal.

Britain has some of the highest standards in the world, for food and drugs. As a nation, we need to protect these high standards, for the sake of the health of our citizens.

The US meat lobby wants the sale of growth hormone-fed beef, currently banned in the UK and EU, to be allowed in the UK.

The US drugs company lobby wants changes to the NHS drugs approval process to allow it to buy more of US drugs, and remove pricing caps.

US farming groups say that any deal should move away from EU standards, including rules governing genetically modified crops, antibiotics in meats, and pesticides and herbicides, such as glyphosate.

The Animal Health Institute, which produces animal antibiotics, is among several groups that have said it would not support a deal that does not address demands by the US agricultural sector.  They state: "We have noted with concern statements by certain UK officials indicating a desire to exclude the agricultural sector from the negotiation and an intention of maintaining regulatory harmonisation with the European Union," going on to threaten "Should the UK adopt such policies, we see little basis for the negotiation of a bilateral trade agreement."

US drug makers are also pressuring the UK. They have heavily criticised the current NHS drug approval system, pointing to the cap on the price of drugs as too restrictive, and highlighting insufficient healthcare budgets and "rigid" national processes.

See full BBC article here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-47036119