Daily Telegraph article ‘ignores’ environmental work of UK poultry producers

01 June 2026 3 minute read
Environment and climate
Will Raw

NFU Poultry Board Chair Will Raw responds to an article published in the Daily Telegraph by Rosa Silverman levelling all blame on poultry producers for pollution issues in the River Wye.

In his open letter, Poultry Board Chair Will Raw addresses Rosa Silverman’s article ‘We were told to eat less red meat. It may have unleashed an environmental catastrophe’ by offering an alternative perspective.

Will highlights the environmental work poultry farmers are doing to protect rivers such as the River Wye, alongside providing the nation’s favourite meat, produced to “some of the highest animal welfare and environmental standards in the world”.

He cites the voluntary investment made by the UK poultry sector into new technologies and infrastructure to protect rivers and encourages people to celebrate producers’ skill and dedication as they work collaboratively “to protect the health of the nation’s rivers”.

To the editor,

Rosa Silverman’s article is right to highlight the health of the River Wye but wrong to ignore how poultry farmers are proactively addressing environmental concerns.

British chicken farmers who live and work throughout the Wye catchment embrace its beauty every single day. That’s why the UK poultry sector has invested millions of pounds voluntarily into new technology and infrastructure that prevents valuable nutrients that are crucial to producing food from contributing negatively to water quality.

As Rosa Silverman notes, chicken is the nation’s favourite meat, enjoyed by families all over the country for its nutritional benefits, its versatility and affordability. Our farmers produce it to some of the highest animal welfare and environmental standards in the world and are regularly inspected to ensure their practices meet required standards.

The same cannot be said for all imported chicken and it is of huge concern that some campaign groups would prefer to offshore animal welfare and environmental standards by taking a narrow-minded approach which lacks scientific evidence to back up their claims.

This week, the NFU has launched its Love British Chicken campaign. It encourages farmers, the wider poultry sector, retailers and the public to come together to champion British chicken, and drive support for the British poultry sector so that we can continue to supply high quality, nutritious and affordable protein and keep up with the growing demand.

Let’s celebrate the skill and dedication that goes into producing high-quality British food – but do that alongside championing our collaborative aim of working to protect the health of the nation’s rivers.

Will Raw
NFU Poultry Board Chair

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