Commenting on the report, Alex Gowen, UK Manager of Beef + Lamb New Zealand, said: “Beef + Lamb welcomes the Committee’s recommendation that the NZ-UK Free Trade Agreement should be ratified and is delighted the committee acknowledged the environmental credentials of the New Zealand farming industry. We are particularly pleased that the report highlights how our livestock industry exports produce lower emissions than current European levels, even after taking shipping into account. As one of the world’s lowest greenhouse gas producers in farming, we are eager to become the UK’s clean partner and look forward to working together to achieve our shared vision of reducing environmental emissions across the farming sector. 

 “While we recognise the issues raised in the Impact Assessment, we share the view that there will be no increase in lamb imports to the UK as a result of the FTA. Meanwhile, the increase in beef imports will merely displace imports from elsewhere and not increase the overall level. 

“We continue to engage with our UK partners to strengthen and deepen the existing relationships between the two nation’s respective agricultural industry groups and ensure that animal welfare and environmental standards in food production are maintained and improved in the UK.”