MSP backs calls to address plight of local egg producers

Stewart Stevenson MSP has this week backed calls from SNP colleagues to address the challenges which will face local egg producers after Brexit.

Joan McAlpine MSP has raised fears about the future of egg production after the Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy Fergus Ewing told her the sector could be "wiped out" if a no-deal Brexit leads to a mass influx of cheap, poor quality produce into the UK market.

UK ministers propose to drop tariffs on eggs from abroad in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Mr Ewing told Holyrood he had raised the British Egg Industry Councils concerns with UK ministers just last week, but they were unable to give any reassurance about fears a no-deal could lead to an influx of poor quality eggs produced to lower animal welfare standards.

The BEIC fear that in the event of a ‘no-deal’ Brexit, many of the EU regulations and quality controls which ensure the welfare of egg laying hens and the quality of the eggs sold at market, could be scrapped.

Stewart Stevenson MSP said:

“A no-deal Brexit scenario could be disastrous for Scottish consumers and for our high-quality egg industry. Rural areas like the North East have risen to the challenge of producing high quality free-range eggs in recent years, and it would be disgraceful to put these businesses at risk by allowing poor quality ‘battery’ eggs back onto the market.

“If we leave the EU without a deal, we will revert to WTO rules. Under the World Trade Organisation’s sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) rules, animal welfare cannot be used as a barrier to trade, so we could go backwards."

Responding to Ms McAlpine’s questions in the Scottish Parliament, Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy Fergus Ewing said:

“Unfortunately our assessment is that egg production is another of our successful food and drink sectors that will be negatively impacted by a no deal Brexit, and this is particularly true if, as expected, the UK Government leaves the sector without the protection of tariffs or quantitative restrictions on egg products coming into the UK. That would leave Scottish producers at an unfair disadvantage with the potential for imported products of much lower quality and welfare standards flooding the market here.

“These issues were raised with DEFRA Ministers on Monday, but yet again they were completely unable to give us any reassurance whatsoever to alleviate these real and practical concerns. It was completely inadequate, and utter shambolic.”