I read the Hereford Times article on November 26 about the spread of poultry units across the Marches and the phosphate/nitrogen impact on our rivers.

The number of poultry farms is staggering.

In fact, all the numbers associated with the poultry business are mind- boggling – 44 million birds housed in the Marches and Powys, Avara Foods slaughtering 4.5 million number of chickens a week (1.5 million in Hereford) and in the UK a billion birds slaughtered a year.

That’s the equivalent of 15 per person!

Your article on December 3 highlighted the link between chicken feed produced by Cargill and deforestation in Brazil.

As a society we are waking up to the environmental impact of intensive poultry production, whether here on our local rivers or 5,000 miles away on the Brazilian Cerrado.

I’m sure many people share my concern that the chicken we eat here in the UK appears to be so environmentally damaging.

It was deeply disappointing to hear that though Cargill had committed to eliminate deforestation from its supply chains, they admitted last year that this target wouldn’t be met and had been pushed back until 2030.

That’s far too late!

Bryony John
Leominster

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