Lighthizer urged to talk up poultry

U.S. Rep. Steve Womack wrote to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer last week, urging him to remember the poultry industry during coming negotiations between the United States and the United Kingdom.

The Republican from Rogers, who serves as co-chairman of the Congressional Chicken Caucus, was part of a bipartisan coalition urging Lighthizer to help remove barriers to the export of U.S. chicken and turkey.

Nearly four dozen lawmakers added their names to the letter, he reported.

Arkansas was the second-leading producer of broilers in 2018, according to the National Chicken Council. The state produced more than 1 billion broilers for the year.

Since 1997, the European Union has banned poultry that has been treated with antimicrobial washes.

The treatments, which are approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, are standard in the U.S.

The European Food Safety Authority agreed, more than a decade ago, that washing poultry with chlorinated water poses no health risk. Despite that determination, the restriction has remained.

With Great Britain exiting the European Union, “we are in a position to negotiate an agreement with the U.K. that resolves this unscientific ban once and for all,” the lawmakers wrote.

In a written statement, National Turkey Federation President Joel Brandenberger, said his organization appreciated Womack’s leadership on the issue.

“Greater access to export markets for the U.S. turkey industry supports jobs and communities throughout Arkansas,” he said.