I must admit to be somewhat questioning of some farming reaction to the UK-Australia trade deal (News, 18 June).First, European beef is currently a similar price to Australian beef-and the latter cost more in mid-2020. So it's hardly as if there's a competitive advantage for a country on the other side of the world.Second, the lower standards so often referred to generally relate to the use of hormone growth promoters. This is more a question of perception than fact. They were used for decades in the UK, until the EU banned them in 1988, and later the World Trade Organization asserted that this ban was not supported by science and was inconsistent with international obligations. Ironically, the products are now being put forward as a tool in reducing greenhouse gas emissions because of greater efficiency.
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