He does not say that the United Kingdom will return to the European Union under his leadership.
"We want to remove barriers for exporters, not create them. We want to protect the high British standards, not weaken them," Starmer said at the NFU conference. Starmer promised that Labour will ensure that one third of government-purchased food is British and 20% highly sustainable.
Labour also says it will not tamper with the criteria for producing healthy food and promises to put 'green export' high on the agenda if Labour wins the next general election.
According to recent opinion polls, the Conservative Party has lost the support of most British farmers. In December, support for the Tories among farmers fell to 42 percent. Two years ago it was still 57 percent, and three years ago 72 percent. Brexit caused more problems than solutions, it appeared, especially due to the forced departure of foreign guest workers. Due to shortages of drivers and slaughterhouse staff, tens of thousands of pigs had to be culled in 2021.
NFU chair Minette Batters says Great Britain is threatened by a "disastrous" food scandal as a result of lax border controls on the import of agricultural products since the British left the EU. "We see little to no checks on imports coming from the EU," she said.
"We face the enormous risk of African swine fever in Europe. Not investing in our biosecurity and in keeping the health of animals and plants safe, I find that simply a dereliction of duty," Batters stated.
The threat could become much worse under trade agreements with non-EU countries, she added. British Environment Minister Thérèse Coffey said last week that she hoped to increase trade with the United States and import more of its "fantastic produce."
Coffey said that science, innovation and technology would help British agriculture to remain sustainable. That is why current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has established a new government department to focus on scientific innovation and technology.