Samuel Kurtz MS has warned the Chancellor against sacrificing British farming standards as the UK government continues trade negotiations with US officials this week.
Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves is in Washington for her first in-person meeting with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, as part of early-stage talks on a potential UK-US trade deal.
The government is reportedly hoping to secure some relief from the tariffs introduced under President Trump. However, recent indications from US negotiators suggest that any such deal could require the UK to open its markets to imports like chlorine-washed chicken; a practice banned in Britain.
Chlorine-washing is used to compensate for poor hygiene and animal welfare conditions in some parts of the US poultry industry, standards that would be unacceptable and illegal in the UK.
Samuel Kurtz MS said:
“British consumers and farmers expect better. Chlorine-washed chicken isn’t just a food safety issue, it’s a red flag for low animal welfare. Allowing such products into our market would fly in the face of everything we ask our own farmers to uphold.
“Our food producers work tirelessly to meet some of the highest standards in the world. Undermining them with a trade deal that rewards countries cutting corners is short-sighted and shameful. It’s not free trade; it’s a free pass for poor practice.”
“If the UK is serious about food security and sustainability, then we must stand by the people who grow our food. That means defending British farming in the negotiating room, not bargaining it away behind closed doors.”