The National Farmers Union has announced that more than one million people have pledged their support for British farming and food production by signing its petition urging government to ensure future trade deals do not lead to an increase in food imports that would be illegal to produce here.

This overwhelming public support has accumulated in just over two weeks and more than 78,000 people have also written to their MP urging them to support the introduction of a Trade, Food and Farming Standards Commission that can review trade policy and develop solutions that can hold all food imports to the UK’s high standards.

NFU president Minette Batters said this is the clearest indication yet that the British public do not want to see food on their supermarket shelves, or in their restaurants and cafes, that fall below the standards British farmers adhere to.

Mrs Batters said: “It has been overwhelming to see this volume of support. The fact that more than one million people have signed a petition urging the government to put into law rules that prevent food being imported to the UK which is produced in ways that would be illegal here is a clear signal of how passionate the British public feel about this issue.

“It is now clear that it is simply not credible for the government to continue to just pay lip service to this issue, when there is such public support for action. They must now give guarantees to the British people that they have listened to their concerns and will make firm commitments to address them.”

She added: “Given the clear commitments in the Conservative Party manifesto that they will not compromise British farming’s high standards, is it not a logical next step to put in place a panel of experts that can carry out that direction?

“These are decisions that will leave a legacy for decades and generations to come. It is so important that we get this right. Access to safe, traceable, affordable and nutritious food produced to the highest standards should be a right for all. We must not throw that away in the pursuit of free trade.”