“I just need to assure you that they are safe to eat,” she informed the Exchange Hall on the Manchester Central Convention Complex.
The Environment Secretary additionally referred to as out the “green zealots” who wish to make folks eat “fake meat”, which she stated may solely be “OK” for “astronauts”.
The EU Commission regulation on “bendy bananas” was going to be faraway from the UK statute books on the finish of the yr.
However, in May the Government U-turned and introduced it was not going to routinely repeal all retained EU legislation within the UK by the top of 2023.
The broadly parodied rule units out advertising requirements for bananas throughout Europe and says the fruits should be “free from malformation or abnormal curvature”.
Ms Coffey stated: “We are going further to help farmers and rural businesses by making the most of our Brexit freedoms, freedom from European rules, freedom to choose what works best for Britain. We’ve already legislated to allow gene editing so that we can design crops that are fit for the future.
“My officials are cutting red tape and introducing smarter regulation, and, frankly, bent or straight, it’s not for Government to decide the shape of bananas you want to eat.
“I just need to assure you that they are safe to eat. So, we will be dropping absurd regulations including the one on bendy bananas.”
She additionally informed celebration members earlier in her speech: “Our farmers produce the best food in the world to the highest animal welfare standards.
“But there’s some green zealots who think our farmers should stop rearing livestock and instead we should eat fake meat. Regardless of what the zealots say, by the way, I’m being taken to court in relation to this right now, I’m absolutely not going to tell anyone that they should not eat meat.
“Fake meat might be OK for astronauts, but when people think of a meat feast, I want them to be thinking about great Welsh lamb, our Aberdeen Angus beef, our Saddleback pork, not some pizza topping.”
Ms Coffey additionally made a few different bulletins, corresponding to that Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan is reviewing the Universal Service Obligation and trying to “get faster broadband to some of the most remote places in the country”.
On the necessity for extra properties within the countryside, she stated: “Today, as the next step with the Levelling Up Secretary (Michael Gove), I can announce that Homes England is publishing a rural housing statement, setting out how it will play its part in delivering the Government’s housing and levelling up priorities in rural areas.”
