The Scottish government has raised concern over the possible UK-US trade partnership, particularly surrounding its potential impact on food and animal welfare standards.
The UK government is negotiating a 'foundational trade partnership' with the United States, as reported recently in the media.
This would cover subjects such as digital trade, labour protections and agriculture, according to documents first revealed by Politico.
The partnership would not guarantee any levels of access for service providers to offer their products in each other’s countries, which means it wouldn't be a full trade deal.
However, Scotland's Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon and Trade Minister Richard Lochhead have written jointly to the UK government to voice concern about the partnership and what it would mean for agriculture.
In the US, the use of antibiotics per animal in farming is on average 5 times higher than in the UK.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also allows steroid hormone drugs for use in beef production, which has been banned in the EU since 1989.
The ministers' letter highlights the Scottish government’s opposition to any derogation of food safety and animal welfare standards.
It asks that Scottish Ministers are fully involved and engaged in the UK government’s activity in relation to trading arrangements with the United States.
Ms Gougeon commented: “The interests of Scottish agriculture, and other sectors, must not be traded away in order to secure a quick deal with the US, or any country.
"Specifically, any relaxing of our opposition to hormone treated beef, GM crops and chlorine washed chicken would be especially egregious.
"The UK government should not be trading away the interests of Scottish agriculture, and other sectors, in order to secure a quick deal with the US, or any country.
"If the Prime Minister’s commitment made to farmers earlier this year is to be honoured, we would not expect to see any concessions like this in agriculture."
A spokesperson for the Department for Business and Trade said: “The UK and US are rapidly expanding the work we do together across the full spectrum of our economic, technological, commercial and trade relations through the Atlantic declaration.
"Discussions with the US on next steps under this first-of-its-kind agreement are ongoing.”
