A GROUP of farmers and food retailers have joined a campaign and written to MPs in a bid to maintain high food standards post-Brexit.

The campaign titled #SaveOurStandards has been started by some of the region’s food producers, chefs, farmers, and community leaders, who are worried that there is a risk with trade deals being struck by the Government.

It is feared that new deals could undercut farmers, put low quality food on our shelves, and pollute the local environment.

The group have written an open letter to 15 of the North East’s MPs calling on them to support the campaign and protect the high UK food standards.

The Northern Echo spoke to some of the food producing signatories.

Bridget Diane of FatLass Preserves said: “I'm all for a trade deal with USA, but not at the cost of dropping UK food standards.

"This I believe, would devastate food businesses both in our commercial and artisan sector; alongside making a mockery of animal standards in this country.

"Standards that many have fought so hard to establish in this country."

Alison Raper of Teesdale Cheesemakers said: “We believe a trade deal with the US, without imposing the current high UK food standards, would seriously undermine our ability to sustain our food industry."

In a recent poll of County Durham residents 66 per cent had serious concerns over the potential increase in US style mega farms because of new deals.

Over 80 per cent of residents surveyed did not want to buy cheaper beef and vegetables if it meant they had been treated with hormones and currently banned pesticides.

The group of signatories’ fear this could become a reality if the Government does not hold firm with the deals.

MPs on both sides reacted giving reassurance that standards will be maintained.

The Northern Echo:

Grahame Morris MP for Easington said: “UK farming and food standards have an uncertain post-Brexit future.

The government believe a US trade deal is the gold standard. This will require the UK to open up our markets and it is unlikely the US would do a deal that didn't include agriculture or pharmaceuticals.

If our farmers are to compete with intensive US factory farms, a race to the bottom on animal welfare and food standards is inevitable.

"The alternative would be to allow our agriculture industry to collapse under the weight of low quality, cheap US imports."

I voted to protect UK farming through amendments in the Agriculture Bill and the Trade Bill to ensure that agricultural products cannot be imported into the UK if they are produced to lower standards than our domestic agricultural products.

However, these protections were rejected by Government MPs, who need to explain why they refused to safeguard our farming and food standards in future trade deals.

The Northern Echo:

Peter Gibson, MP for Darlington said: “I fully recognise the importance of our high food standards to local businesses across the North East.

"I am proud of our exceptional standards, and I am confident that the Government will never compromise them.

Without exception, all animal products imported into the UK under existing or future free trade agreements from all trading partners, including the US and others, will have to meet our high food safety standard.

"Indeed, there are already existing caveats in our domestic law that specifically prevent the import of products that use chlorine-washed chicken and hormone injected beef from large-scale farms.

Along with the existing independent Food Standards Agency, the Trade and Agriculture Commission, that sits as an independent body, is being given full statutory footing to ensure that businesses and farmers can be confident that any future trade deals will not allow for new food products or processes of animal origin treated with certain substances into the UK market."