UK-Australia trade deal: What are the arguments for and against?

[cromwell]

My parents and Grandparents all came from farming stock, today's farmers are feeble in comparison.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmSA0W3mkn4

And so here is what I said

If we are going to subsidise it should be to encourage to grow and provide livestock in order that we don't rely as much on imports and be targeted on individual farms rather than large landowners.

And you say

No wonder Remoaners keep trotting out the line that we can't feed our selves, the truth is we can

Have a look around at the dairy farms gone and the land fallow for greedy landowners not farmers because of cheap imports and the eu agricultural policy.

You can't just restart it all overnight,if we want farms productive again it will take time and investment in real farmers not landowners.

[papasmurf]

The only one who is ignorant is you, and that is cause you don't see what is front of your face. Your version of ignorance is someone not agreeing with you, well some of us don't care about a bit of growth hormone, it's personal choice, something you clearly don't accept.

I don't agree with Foie Gras or Veal, both of which are far far worse than the things you mention: Guess what, I don't eat them, but I respect others choice to have them imported and eat them.

Nick it is you who is totally ignorant, you know zero about the furore surrounding the import of meat from Australia, the heated debate in parliament and the refusal to put British meat welfare and production standards into law when  it comes to meat imports.
That you are so ignorant of the current affairs surrounding the issue I find astounding.
Because of your ignorance you launch a nasty abusive attack on me.
(I don't eat fois gras or veal either.)

[Nick]

Pappy's doctors have put him on a no food diet and he probably won't last the summer.

Going off what he says he can't eat I suspect the nil by mouth might be self inflicted!

[Nick]

I am amazed at the ignorance being shown on this forum about Australian meat and why it should not be allowed to be imported into Britain.

The only one who is ignorant is you, and that is cause you don't see what is front of your face. Your version of ignorance is someone not agreeing with you, well some of us don't care about a bit of growth hormone, it's personal choice, something you clearly don't accept.

I don't agree with Foie Gras or Veal, both of which are far far worse than the things you mention: Guess what, I don't eat them, but I respect others choice to have them imported and eat them.

[Nick]

More than a bit harsh Nick,whilst the Queen,big ears and the duchy of cornwall and other large land owners make a fortune from subsidies there are others struggling and have to diversify(in to things like glamping) to survive.

My parents and Grandparents all came from farming stock, today's farmers are feeble in comparison.

others struggling and have to diversify(in to things like glamping) to survive.

So you are telling me that those fields stood fallow for 100's of years until someone invented Glamping? Give me a break! They were fallow cause they get paid to grow nothing, in fact farmers make more from subsidies than from agriculture.

No wonder Remoaners keep trotting out the line that we can't feed our selves, the truth is we can, we just cant be bothered.

https://fullfact.org/economy/farming-subsidies-uk/

[Borchester]

The thing is, whatever is imported will be marked with the country of origin. If anyone doesn't want to eat beef from Australia, fine, I would eat it but there is plenty of Kent grown beef to put on the table at the moment.
You have a choice.

No he hasn't.

Pappy's doctors have put him on a no food diet and he probably won't last the summer.

[Borchester]

That depends on who paid for the research you have read. (Seriously.)
On a personal level I have been avoiding meat that has been produced using growth hormones for a very long time because there is a risk to me.
Some of the chemicals banned in the UK but widely used in Australia are endocrine disruptors.

Pappy, you have spent the last year and a half cowering in the privy and terrified of catching a terminal case of hypochondria. A Strine steak raised on free range asbestos would do you the world of good.

[Barry]

The thing is, whatever is imported will be marked with the country of origin. If anyone doesn't want to eat beef from Australia, fine, I would eat it but there is plenty of Kent grown beef to put on the table at the moment.
You have a choice.

[papasmurf]

Can't be any worse than thread "disruptors". 

From Defra September 2018:

A Government spokesperson said: 
The Environment Secretary has been absolutely clear that we will not water down our high food safety and animal welfare standards as a result of any future free trade agreements.
Artificial growth hormones are banned in both domestic production and imported meats. This will remain the case when we leave the European Union. 

https://deframedia.blog.gov.uk/2018/09/07/hormone-treated-beef/

Given the government refused to put "we will not water down our high food safety and animal welfare standards as a result of any future free trade agreements." into law.
I and many others do not believe a word of that.

Given Gove and George Useless's track record of being lying bastards I especially do not believe them.

[patman post]

Can't be any worse than thread "disruptors". 

From Defra September 2018:

A Government spokesperson said: 
The Environment Secretary has been absolutely clear that we will not water down our high food safety and animal welfare standards as a result of any future free trade agreements.
Artificial growth hormones are banned in both domestic production and imported meats. This will remain the case when we leave the European Union. 

https://deframedia.blog.gov.uk/2018/09/07/hormone-treated-beef/

[papasmurf]

The ban of growth hormones is a protectionist one rather than one of food safety .

That depends on who paid for the research you have read. (Seriously.)
On a personal level I have been avoiding meat that has been produced using growth hormones for a very long time because there is a risk to me.
Some of the chemicals banned in the UK but widely used in Australia are endocrine disruptors.

[Streetwalker]

I am amazed at the ignorance being shown on this forum about Australian meat and why it should not be allowed to be imported into Britain. It does not meet British welfare standards, the use of growth hormones is widespread in Australia,  they are banned in Britain as are 30 chemicals commonly used on Australia.

The ban of growth hormones is a protectionist one rather than one of food safety . Beef meat contains very little of the hormones  produced naturally or from animals with hormone implants . There is for example more oestrogen in an egg than in 10kg of beef from hormone implanted cattle  .

There is no scientific evidence to ban growth hormones . Indeed the environmental benefits of getting cattle to market quicker makes giving Cattle growth hormones a sound practice to all concerned .

Not that Australia are about to flood the UK with cheap beef , the amounts being suggested don't even cover the crap we have been getting from Eire (mostly slaughtered dairy cows)  which hopefully will  cease when we go WTO  with the EU and leave their  protectionist racket behind for good .

[cromwell]

How about the lazy sods actually start growing stuff for a change instead of turning their fields into glamping sites?

More than a bit harsh Nick,whilst the Queen,big ears and the duchy of cornwall and other large land owners make a fortune from subsidies there are others struggling and have to diversify(in to things like glamping) to survive.

If we are going to subsidise it should be to encourage to grow and provide livestock in order that we don't rely as much on imports and be targeted on individual farms rather than large landowners.

[papasmurf]

I am amazed at the ignorance being shown on this forum about Australian meat and why it should not be allowed to be imported into Britain. It does not meet British welfare standards, the use of growth hormones is widespread in Australia,  they are banned in Britain as are 30 chemicals commonly used on Australia.

[johnofgwent]

I would like to see you try being lazy on a farm.

Quite easy in the days of setaside. They were paid for doing nothing....