U.S. Farm Chief Hits Out at U.K.’s Villiers Over ‘Chlorinated’ Chicken

(Bloomberg) -- The U.S. farm chief lashed out at U.K. Environment and Food Secretary Theresa Villiers for her defense of Britain’s ban on “chlorinated” chicken, highlighting the obstacles to a free-trade accord between both sides after Brexit.

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue was addressing a vow by Villiers earlier this month to “hold the line” on food-safety rules when the U.S. and U.K. seek a commercial accord. “We will defend our national interests and our values, including our high standards of animal welfare,” Villiers said in a Jan. 9 interview with the BBC.

“It’s very unfortunate and very short-sighted that she would make those kinds of declarations,” Perdue said in response to a reporter’s question during a conference call from Rome on Thursday. “We need to trade based on sound science and safety and health and nutrition.”

His remarks signal that Britain, which is due to leave the European Union on Friday, may have an easier time negotiating a free-trade pact with the bloc than with the U.S. because the U.K. applies EU food standards.

In the conference call, Perdue said Europe should reject the “political science of fear” over U.S. farm goods and ease market access for them in general.

The appeal challenges Europe’s better-safe-than-sorry approach to food safety -- a stance that has led to longstanding EU bans on chicken washed with chlorine and on beef from cattle given growth hormones.

To contact the reporter on this story: Jonathan Stearns in Brussels at jstearns2@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Ben Sills at bsills@bloomberg.net, Brendan Murray, Richard Bravo

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