Farmers tackling emissions from poultry farms, says NFU

The news comes after Shropshire Wildlife Trust said the county's wildlife is in danger because of the farms.

Sarah Faulkner, NFU West Midlands environment and rural affairs adviser, said the poultry sector has reduced emissions by more than 20 per cent.

She said: “We have seen diversification into poultry production in response to growing demand for poultry meat and eggs across the UK as people look for affordable, nutritious, traceable food - produced to the highest standards.

“Despite there now being more poultry businesses in Shropshire and more birds, the poultry sector has already reduced its emissions by more than 20 per cent and farmers take their environmental footprint very seriously.

“They are embracing the latest technology to cut ammonia emissions, looking at bird diet and using poultry litter more effectively, among other measures.

“Much is often made of the impact that poultry units have on the environment but larger chicken farms are regulated by the Environment Agency.

“Newly built sites incorporate the latest designs for heating, ventilation, insulation, controls and feeding all of which make poultry farming a truly modern and efficient industry operating to high standards, with a low carbon foot print."

Sarah added that farming is increasingly competitive and farmers need to be able to diversify.

“Farming operates within increasingly competitive and volatile food markets and farmers need to ensure they have resilient businesses for the future," she said.

“To achieve this, Shropshire farmers need to be able to modernise and diversify their holdings and make the most of their land, as well as to ensure the unique countryside continues to be well managed.

“Farmers and growers are busy planting and managing hedges, sowing flower habitat for pollinators and have other schemes in place designed to enhance the farmed environment; in the free range egg sector alone, thousands of trees have been planted for poultry flocks to range around.

“Growth in the egg and chicken sector is forecast to continue and new modern poultry units in Shropshire are essential - they enable farmers to expand production, meet demand and stave off our reliance on foreign, less regulated, imports.

“Our sites also create local employment and contribute to retaining jobs in areas where recruitment opportunities are vitally important.

“In addition other local agricultural businesses benefit as a percentage of the wheat, fed to birds, is sourced from local farms.

“Food and farming is the largest manufacturing sector in the country - employing 3.9 million people and worth £112 billion – food security is a public good and farms are also delivering in terms of animal welfare, plant protection, for the farmed environment and communities.”

Robin Mager, planning officer at Shropshire Wildlife Trust, had said the county is the "national capital" for chicken farms, and called for regulations to be changed.