Agriculture and Trade Commission

The Agriculture and Trade Commission (ATC) was created to advise the UK Department of International Trade on matters of agricultural standards to ensure that the UK agriculture sector remains competitive in any free trade agreement, and advise on any export opportunities that can be opened to the UK agriculture sector. The ATC was "set up for six months" to "submit an advisory report at the end of its work".[1]

Not to be confused with Trade and Agriculture Commission.

The Department of International Trade announced the creation of Agriculture and Trade Commission was set up on the 29 June 2020 after the agriculture sector informed the government of their concerns regards food quality in any future trade agreement.[2]

Role

The ATC was to report directly to International Trade minister Liz Truss, and was to advise on:[1]

  • Trade policies the Government should adopt to secure opportunities for UK farmers
  • Ensuring the sector remains competitive and that animal welfare and environmental standards in food production are not undermined.
  • Advancing and protecting British consumer interests and those of the developing countries.
  • Advising on how the UK engages the WTO to build a coalition that helps to promote higher animal welfare standards across the world.
  • Developing trade policy that identifies and opens up new export opportunities for the UK agricultural industry in particular for SMEs, as this would benefits the UK economy as a whole.

Leadership

The Agriculture Trade Committee will be will be chaired by food safety expert Tim Smith, a former Chief Executive of the Food Standards Agency and now Tesco Group Technical Director.[3]

Membership

The Agriculture and Trade Commission consists of the 16 Members.[4]

No Name of Representative Organisation Represented
1. Tim Smith Ex-Tesco Tech Director/FSA
2. Nick von Westenholz NFU England
3. Andrew McCornick NFU Scotland
4 John Davies NFU Cymru
5. Victor Chestnutt Ulster Farmers Union
6. Glyn Robert The Farmers Union of Wales
7. Rob Hodgkins Lamb Farmer
8. Shanker Singham Institute of Economics Affairs
9. Nigel Gibbens Former Chief Veterinary Officer
10. Andrew Opie British Retail Consortium
11. Lord Price Former Trade Minister
12. Tom Pengelly Trade Out Of Poverty
13. Sir Lockwood Smith Former Trade Minister and Agriculture Minister for New Zealand
14. Kate Nicholls UK Hospitality
15. Ian Wright CBE Food and Drink Federation
16. Caroline Drummond LEAF

See also

References
  1. Media, Global ag (July 10, 2020). "UK creates Trade and Agriculture Commission amid trade negotiations". The Poultry Site.
  2. UK Group, The Farming (June 29, 2020). "Brexit: Government to establish trade and agriculture commission". Farming UK.
  3. (1)(D.E.F.R.A - Rt Hon. George Eustace) (2) (D.I.T - Rt Hon. Liz Truss), (1)(Department for Environmental, Food & Rural Affaires) (2) (Department for International Trade) (July 10, 2020). "Trade and Agriculture Commission membership announced". Gov.UK.
  4. "Members of the UK's new Trade and Agriculture Commission announced". New Food. July 10, 2020.
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