The U.K. House of Lords, acting as an advisory body provided commentary and suggestions to amend and strengthen the Agriculture Bill of 2020 recently considered by the House of Commons.
The Upper House proposed changes regarding pesticides and recommended the establishment of a Trade and Agriculture Commission. Trade Secretary Liz Truss subsequently announced the formation of a Commission to be chaired by the former CEO of the Food Standards Agency.
The amendments have the support of the National Farmers Union with Minnette Batters their president commenting, “we believe the role of the Trade and Agriculture Commission is to provide parliamentary oversight on our future trade policy”. She continued “the House of Lords was correct in strengthening the Agriculture Bill to provide better scrutiny for future trade deals.”
The Bill has been returned to the Lower House to consider amendments that will strengthen aspects of food safety and to maintain a level playing field between the UK and the EU considered even more necessary in the light of economic 
damaged caused by COVID-19.
The amended Agriculture Bill may strengthen the hand of UK negotiators in any trade deal with the U.S. since concessions cannot be made by negotiators with regard to measures including the use of chlorine in processing chicken and administration of partitioning agents in the production of hogs and cattle.