BRITISH poultry producers must not be left at a competitive disadvantage by lower standard imports, the NFU told delegates at a meeting in the European Parliament.

NFU poultry board chairman Duncan Priestner told delegates that British consumers expected and demanded higher welfare, environmental and food safety standards – which British poultry farmers have already introduced to the cost of hundreds of millions.

But he warned that trade negotiations with the US1 – where minimum welfare standards are lower to those in force within Europe – could put the industry at risk from cheaper imports.

Mr Priestner said: “We would like to send out a clear message to those involved in the negotiations that we do not regard US poultry production systems to be equivalent to the UK and we believe that the gap between the EU and US production methods is too wide and it is unrealistic to reach a compromise.”

Mr Priestner was speaking at a joint event organised by the NFU and NPA, hosted by Conservative MEP Vicky Ford.

These discussions are part of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), aimed at encouraging trade between the EU and US.