The British want to ban live animal exports

The British Department of Agriculture, Diffra, is considering a ban on the export of live animals sold for slaughter or for further fattening.

Defra announces new measures to improve animal welfare in a twenty-page action plan. In addition to the ban on the export of live animals, the Ministry will also continue to investigate the use of cages to transport layer chickens and pig transport boxes.

In support of the action plan, the UK Department of Agriculture says Brexit provides an opportunity to raise animal welfare standards to a higher level. According to Agriculture Minister George Ostis, the measures announced demonstrate that the UK is an animal-lover country as well as the first country ever to have animal rights enshrined in law.

Concern about equal opportunity

In response, Minnette Butters, head of the NFU (National Farmers’ Union), said she was concerned about a level playing field for British farmers. She notes that while the British government sets high standards in her country, there is no certainty that the same standards of animal welfare will also apply to importing animal products.