BVA demands Brexit clarity on welfare standards

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has demanded clarity from the Government on animal welfare standards, following the publication of a House of Lords report.

The BVA has welcomed calls by the House of Lords EU Energy and Environment Sub-Committee report Brexit: farm animal welfare to protect the UK livestock industry from cheap, lower standard meat imports in new post-Brexit trade deals. The report also urged the Government to take steps to ensure that the veterinary industry is able to access qualified staff after we leave the EU. 

BVA president Gudrun Ravetz said: "As the report recommends, as consumers we must make sure we do not compromise quality for cost-savings in order to avoid a race to the bottom for welfare standards. We now need clarity from the Government on how underpinning processes and overarching principles, like Article 13 which ensures animal welfare requirements are fully considered in policy-setting, will be incorporated into domestic law."

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