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    Letter To Gove

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    The Guardian
    Representatives from various UK farming and food & drink trade associations wrote to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to express concern about the impact of a no-deal Brexit in fewer than 50 days. They urged the government to pause ongoing and planned consultations on various policy initiatives that would impact the food and drink industry until Brexit uncertainty is resolved. These consultations relate to issues like deposit return schemes, recycling, packaging policy, and pesticide use. The organizations and their members do not have the capacity to engage with these consultations properly given their focus on Brexit preparations. Proceeding with the consultations risks being seen as bad faith and reduced industry responses.

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    Letter To Gove

    Uploaded by

    The Guardian
    30K views4 pages
    Representatives from various UK farming and food & drink trade associations wrote to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to express concern about the impact of a no-deal Brexit in fewer than 50 days. They urged the government to pause ongoing and planned consultations on various policy initiatives that would impact the food and drink industry until Brexit uncertainty is resolved. These consultations relate to issues like deposit return schemes, recycling, packaging policy, and pesticide use. The organizations and their members do not have the capacity to engage with these consultations properly given their focus on Brexit preparations. Proceeding with the consultations risks being seen as bad faith and reduced industry responses.

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    Letter to Gove - 8 February

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    Letter to Gove

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    Representatives from various UK farming and food & drink trade associations wrote to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to express concern about the impact of a no-deal Brexit in fewer than 50 days. They urged the government to pause ongoing and planned consultations on various policy initiatives that would impact the food and drink industry until Brexit uncertainty is resolved. These consultations relate to issues like deposit return schemes, recycling, packaging policy, and pesticide use. The organizations and their members do not have the capacity to engage with these consultations properly given their focus on Brexit preparations. Proceeding with the consultations risks being seen as bad faith and reduced industry responses.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    30K views4 pages

    Letter To Gove

    Uploaded by

    The Guardian
    Representatives from various UK farming and food & drink trade associations wrote to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to express concern about the impact of a no-deal Brexit in fewer than 50 days. They urged the government to pause ongoing and planned consultations on various policy initiatives that would impact the food and drink industry until Brexit uncertainty is resolved. These consultations relate to issues like deposit return schemes, recycling, packaging policy, and pesticide use. The organizations and their members do not have the capacity to engage with these consultations properly given their focus on Brexit preparations. Proceeding with the consultations risks being seen as bad faith and reduced industry responses.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    of 4

    8 February 2019

    Rt Hon Michael Gove MP


    Secretary of State
    Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
    2 Marsham Street
    London SW1P 4DF

    Dear Secretary of State

    As representatives of a very broad swathe of the UK’s farming and food &
    drink supply-chain, we are writing to you today on a matter of great urgency
    and of deep concern to our members.

    In fewer than 50 days, the UK will leave the European Union. The legal
    default is that we will do so irrespective of whether or not we have signed a
    withdrawal agreement and, at present, that no-deal Brexit looks ever more
    the likeliest outcome.

    Businesses throughout the UK food chain – and their trade associations - are
    now totally focused on working to mitigate the catastrophic impact of a no-
    deal Brexit. Large amounts of time, money, people and effort are being
    diverted to that end.

    At this moment of potential crisis for our industry, it cannot be ‘business as


    usual’ within government. Neither we nor our members have the physical
    resources nor organisational bandwidth to engage with and properly respond
    to non-Brexit related policy consultations or initiatives at this time.
    Government has recruited many extra staff; we cannot.

    We very strongly urge you therefore to require of your Cabinet colleagues


    that a range of current and planned consultations that will impact food and
    drink, some of which are expected shortly, are firmly and clearly placed on
    “pause” until this uncertainty is over. A list of the relevant consultations of
    which we are aware is given in the appendix to this letter.

    If government seeks to press ahead with these consultations it will be seen


    by some as a sign of bad faith and many organisations may decline to
    respond.

    We are grateful for your assistance with this issue.


    Ian Wright CBE Paul Rooke Andrew Pollard
    Chief Executive Head of Policy President
    Food and Drink Agricultural Industries Association of Bakery
    Federation Confederation Ingredient Manufacturers

    Pete Robertson David Camp Chris Stemman


    President Chief Executive Director
    Association of Cereal Association of Labour British Coffee Association
    Food Manufacturers Providers

    Walter Anzer John Hyman Jack Ward


    Director General Chief Executive Chief Executive
    British Food Importers British Frozen Food British Growers
    and Distributors Federation Association
    Association

    Nick Allen Richard Griffiths Declan O’Brien


    Chief Executive Officer Chief Executive Director General
    British Meat Processors British Poultry British Specialist Nutrition
    Association Association Association

    Nick Bennett Judith Bryans Gordon Polson


    Chairman Chief Executive Director
    Council for Responsible Dairy UK Federation of Bakers
    Nutrition UK

    James Bielby Nigel Jenny David Thomson


    Chief Executive Chief Executive Chief Executive Officer
    Federation of Wholesale Fresh Produce Food and Drink
    Distributors Consortium Federation Scotland

    Andy Richardson Graham Keen Liz Murphy


    Chairman Executive Director Chief Executive Officer
    Food and Drink Wales Health Food International Meat Trade
    Industry Board Manufacturers’ Association
    Association

    Bob Price Terry Jones Michael Bell


    Director and Policy Director General Executive Director
    Advisor National Farmers’ Union Northern Ireland Food and
    National Association of Drink Association
    Cider Manufacturers
    Dick Searle Andrew Curtis Andrew Kuyk CBE
    Chief Executive Director General Director General
    Packaging Federation Potato Processors’ Provision Trade
    Association Federation

    James Withers Simon Cripps James Smith


    Chief Executive Executive Chairman Chairman
    Scotland Food and Seasoning and Spice UK Flavour Association
    Drink Association

    Kate Nicholls Dr. Sharon Hall


    Chief Executive Officer Chief Executive
    UK Hospitality UK Tea & Infusions
    Association

    APPENDIX:

    Food and drink-related policy consultations that we are expecting:

    • A Deposit Return Scheme for England & Wales (with links to Scotland
    and NI possibly)

    • A consistent national recycling collection service

    • An overhaul of the current Producer Responsibility programme, the


    Packaging Recovery Note (PRN) system

    • Proposals for a tax on plastic items with less than 30% recycled
    content

    • Proposals to further restrict the advertising of HFSS foods and drink

    Farmers also have a particular concern about extending the mandate under
    ‘Making Tax Digital’ at this time.

    Defra consultations, where consultation timetable should be paused:

    • Consultation on Protecting and Enhancing England’s Trees and


    Woodlands (consultation closes 28/02/2019)

    • Fitness Check of the Water Framework Directive and the Floods Directive
    (consultation closes 04/03/2019)

    • Improving our management of water in the environment (consultation


    closes 12/03/2019)

    Expected consultations that should be delayed:

    • National Action Plan on the sustainable use of pesticides


    • Clean Air Strategy - urea fertiliser use

    • Consulting on a chemicals strategy

    • Setting targets for the 25 Year Environment

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