Agriculture and poultry farming are at the heart of the debate about climate change and environmental impact, as David Miliband has highlighted with ‘One World Farming’.

Speaking today, Ted Wright, Chairman of BPC said: “Indoor poultry farming is one of the most sustainable means of meat production; it uses finite natural resources efficiently (especially water), it produces low levels of pollution, its litter is used for electricity generation and it has substantially less global warming potential than the extensive livestock sectors“.

“Poultry producers are aware of their environmental responsibility and whilst feeding society, are working to meet consumers' concerns“, said Mr. Wright, “Indoor livestock systems are a necessary element in that mix, if we are to meet the demand for affordable meat products without bringing more natural areas into cultivation across the UK; efficient, conventional farming in Britain will remain the source of wholesome nutritious food at affordable prices for British consumers“.

The poultry sector was told it compared favourably in terms of its eco-impact with other meat sectors, especially livestock. Statistics presented to delegates showed that the energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions from the production of a kilo of poultry meat was half that of a kilo of beef.

Mr. Wright raised these issues in his AGM speech, and remarks to Lord Rooker and Opposition agriculture spokesmen: “Poultry farmers and processors are joined up to the BPC Climate Change Agreement with Defra and have, so far, reduced energy use by many times the targets set. Our sector is already the most environmentally sustainable of all livestock sectors, and should qualify for the gold standard under any proposed environmental labelling of food”.