Prentis under pressure as standards fight reaches crescendo

Her absence was particularly noticeable as the argument around trade and standards reached a crescendo, with almost 900,000 people signing an NFU petition on the issue as the Agriculture Bill headed to the House of Lords.

NFU president Minette Batters pointed out grain imports had doubled over the past 10 years, but no information was available about how this product had been produced.

“Many farmers have been struggling to grow key crops since the ban of products like neonicotinoids and chlorothalonil, and now face a double whammy of a trade policy which allows food into the UK produced using the very products which are now illegal here,” she said.

“As we embark on new trading opportunities around the world, it is essential that a level playing field is established.”

Ms Prentis pre-recorded a short presentation for the Cereals session and some answers to questions submitted early.

She also agreed to take part in a 15-minute press conference scheduled after the trade media print deadline, but farmers on social media said her absence was a ‘disgrace’.