Upcoming trade negotiations between the United States and United Kingdom need to include discussions about gaining U.S. poultry access to the U.K., a group of U.S. House members say.
In an effort led by Rep. Steve Womack, R-Arkansas, a group of 47 House members wrote a letter to U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer, urging him to prioritize fair market access for U.S. poultry producers as new trade talks commence. Womack is co-chairman of the Congressional Chicken Caucus.
In the letter, the members of Congress stated that U.S. poultry is among the safest in the world. However, the European Union (EU) has banned U.S. poultry since 1997. EU food safety standards established then banned U.S. poultry because of standard antimicrobial washes used in U.S. poultry production.
With the U.K.’s departure from the EU, an opportunity for the U.S. poultry industry has arisen.
“Breaking down trade barriers in vital markets will unleash opportunity and allow more people from across the globe to access wholesome food,” Womack stated in a press release. “The (Trump) administration has prioritized standing up for American agriculture, and it’s paramount that we embrace this economic opportunity with one of our closest allies.”
In the letter, Womack and his colleagues wrote: “Antimicrobial spray washes are used in the production process to improve food safety. All rinses, including chlorine, must be approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and their use is limited to specific amounts. This is just one step in the process – the USDA also inspects all poultry produced in the U.S. Additionally, only an estimated 10% of the processing plants in the U.S. use chlorine throughout production. Scientific research, including that of the European Food Safety Authority, confirms using chlorine-washed poultry does not pose any human health concerns, nor is it present in the final product.”
Poultry industry reaction
Mike Brown, president of the National Chicken Council, and Joel Brandenberger, president of the National Turkey Federation, both expressed support for the effort.
“With almost one in five pounds of chicken being exported, a robust and expanding overseas market is extremely important to the economic health and well-being of the U.S. chicken industry,” said Brown. “Including U.S. chicken is critical in any new trade agreement with the U.K. – an agreement that should not be hampered by artificial trade barriers. I want to thank Congressman Womack for his leadership on this issue and for the members who signed the letter for their commitment to expanding U.S. chicken exports.”
Brandenberger said: “America’s poultry producers are committed to raising high-quality, nutritious products. We appreciate Rep. Womack’s support of Arkansas turkey producers and processors through his leadership in calling for opening the United Kingdom to imports of U.S. poultry products as part of upcoming trade negotiations. Greater access to export markets for the U.S. turkey industry supports jobs and communities throughout Arkansas.”
Signatures on the letter
Everyone who signed the letter, except for Rep. David Scott, D-Georgia, is a Republican.
In addition to Womack and Scott, The following House members signed the letter: Robert Aderholt, R-Alabama; Jodey Arrington, R-Texas; Dan Bishop, R-North Carolina, Mike Bost, R-Illinois; Buddy Carter,R-Georgia; Ben Cline, R-Virginia; Doug Collins, R-Georgia; James Comer, R-Kentucky; Rick Crawford, R-Arkansas; Rodney Davis, R-Illinois; Drew Ferguson, R-Georgia; Chuck Fleischmann, R-Tennessee; Bob Gibbs, R-Ohio; Michael Guest, R-Mississippi; Jim Hagedorn, R-Minnesota; Andy Harris, R-Maryland; Vicky Hartzler, R-Missouri; Kevin Hern, R-Oklahoma; French Hill, R-Arkansas; George Holding, R-North Carolina; Trey Hollingsworth, R-Indiana; Richard Hudson, R-North Carolina; Bill Huizenga, R-Michigan; Dusty Johnson, R-South Dakota; Fred Keller, R-Pennsylvania; Trent Kelly, R-Mississippi; Billy Long, R-Missouri; Frank Lucas, R-Oklahoma; Roger Marshall, R-Kansas; John Moolenaar, R-Michigan; Markwayne Mullin, R-Oklahoma; Steven Palazzo, R-Mississippi; Martha Roby, R-Alabama; Mike Rogers, R-Alabama; David Rouzer, R-North Carolina; Austin Scott, R-Georgia; Adrian Smith, R-Nebraska; Jason Smith, R-Missouri; Greg Steube, R-Florida; Tim Walberg, R-Michigan; Jackie Walorski, R-Indiana; Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio; Bruce Westerman, R-Arkansas; Rob Woodall, R-Georgia; and Ted Yoho, R-Florida.
