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| US ambassador to UK under fire over defence of chlorinated chicken | US ambassador to UK under fire over defence of chlorinated chicken |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The US ambassador to Britain, Woody Johnson, has come under fire from a leading food critic, a farming union and trade justice campaigners over his push to open up the UK to American farmers post-Brexit. | The US ambassador to Britain, Woody Johnson, has come under fire from a leading food critic, a farming union and trade justice campaigners over his push to open up the UK to American farmers post-Brexit. |
| Jay Rayner, the BBC presenter, Observer columnist and MasterChef critic, said that the UK should tell Johnson “where he can stick” chlorinated chicken, the US’s preferred approach for protecting consumers from pathogens like salmonella and campylobacter. | Jay Rayner, the BBC presenter, Observer columnist and MasterChef critic, said that the UK should tell Johnson “where he can stick” chlorinated chicken, the US’s preferred approach for protecting consumers from pathogens like salmonella and campylobacter. |
| Writing in the Telegraph on Friday, Johnson attacked warnings that a post-Brexit trade deal would result in chlorine-washed chicken and hormone-pumped beef arriving on supermarket shelves, describing them as “inflammatory and misleading” smears. | |
| “You have been presented with a false choice,” the ambassador wrote. “Either stick to EU directives, or find yourselves flooded with American food of the lowest quality. Inflammatory and misleading terms like ‘chlorinated chicken’ and ‘hormone beef’ are deployed to cast American farming in the worst possible light. | “You have been presented with a false choice,” the ambassador wrote. “Either stick to EU directives, or find yourselves flooded with American food of the lowest quality. Inflammatory and misleading terms like ‘chlorinated chicken’ and ‘hormone beef’ are deployed to cast American farming in the worst possible light. |
| “It is time the myths are called out for what they really are: a smear campaign from people with their own protectionist agenda.” | “It is time the myths are called out for what they really are: a smear campaign from people with their own protectionist agenda.” |
| On chlorine-washed chicken, Johnson said the process was the same as that used by EU farmers to treat their fruit and vegetables. | On chlorine-washed chicken, Johnson said the process was the same as that used by EU farmers to treat their fruit and vegetables. |
| Describing it as a “public safety no-brainer”, he insisted it was the most effective and economical way of dealing with “potentially lethal” bacteria such as salmonella and campylobacter. | Describing it as a “public safety no-brainer”, he insisted it was the most effective and economical way of dealing with “potentially lethal” bacteria such as salmonella and campylobacter. |
| Concern over food safety as US seeks greater access to UK markets | Concern over food safety as US seeks greater access to UK markets |
| But in a series of tweets, Rayner said “contrary to what he says, it’s risky stuff”. | But in a series of tweets, Rayner said “contrary to what he says, it’s risky stuff”. |
| He quoted a study by the University of Southampton that found chlorine-washing does not kill pathogens. “The study was on salad vegetables but the lead scientist made clear to me that it applied to chicken as well,” Rayner tweeted. | He quoted a study by the University of Southampton that found chlorine-washing does not kill pathogens. “The study was on salad vegetables but the lead scientist made clear to me that it applied to chicken as well,” Rayner tweeted. |
| “We know that Brexit is all downsides. It is often called an act of national self-harm, but letting in chlorine-washed chicken as Woody demands would be literally harmful to the health of the nation. It makes me sick, in so many bloody ways.” | “We know that Brexit is all downsides. It is often called an act of national self-harm, but letting in chlorine-washed chicken as Woody demands would be literally harmful to the health of the nation. It makes me sick, in so many bloody ways.” |
| Nick Dearden, of the campaign group Global Justice Now, which has warned about the implications of a US trade deal with the UK, said the EU had heavily restricted the use of chlorine in salad crops several years ago. | Nick Dearden, of the campaign group Global Justice Now, which has warned about the implications of a US trade deal with the UK, said the EU had heavily restricted the use of chlorine in salad crops several years ago. |
| “The reason US farmers do it is because their animals are raised in such cramped conditions that the only way to stop them becoming diseased is to dunk them in chlorine. It’s really an animal welfare issue here. If UK farmers want to compete against American imports they’ll have to lower standards or go out of business.” | “The reason US farmers do it is because their animals are raised in such cramped conditions that the only way to stop them becoming diseased is to dunk them in chlorine. It’s really an animal welfare issue here. If UK farmers want to compete against American imports they’ll have to lower standards or go out of business.” |
| The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) has also raised concerns over food safety and animal welfare standards when future trade deals are negotiated. | The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) has also raised concerns over food safety and animal welfare standards when future trade deals are negotiated. |
| “It is imperative that any future trade deals, including a possible deal with the US, do not allow the imports of food produced to lower standards than those required of British farmers,” said the NFU president, Minette Batters. | “It is imperative that any future trade deals, including a possible deal with the US, do not allow the imports of food produced to lower standards than those required of British farmers,” said the NFU president, Minette Batters. |
| A Downing Street spokeswoman insisted: “We have always been very clear that we will not lower our food standards as part of a future trading agreement.” | A Downing Street spokeswoman insisted: “We have always been very clear that we will not lower our food standards as part of a future trading agreement.” |
| But the Liberal Democrat MP Tim Farron, a supporter of the Best for Britain campaign for a new referendum, said: “It’s clear that the US … wants to flood us with chlorine-washed chicken and hormone-pumped beef. But the British people won’t be force-fed low-quality products or a bad Brexit deal.” | But the Liberal Democrat MP Tim Farron, a supporter of the Best for Britain campaign for a new referendum, said: “It’s clear that the US … wants to flood us with chlorine-washed chicken and hormone-pumped beef. But the British people won’t be force-fed low-quality products or a bad Brexit deal.” |
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