Chicken farms and the reality of food production in Britain | Letters

Richard Griffiths and Will Raw respond to an article by George Monbiot in which he argues that industrial poultry farming is killing our rivers

George Monbiot is wrong in his belief that chicken farms harm rivers (Besieged by lobbyists, will UK ministers protect our ecosystems? No, they’ll chicken out, 23 July). Our farms have no direct contact with the soil and operate under permits issued and regulated by the Environment Agency, giving transparency on how manure is managed on site and where it goes when it leaves.

The chicken manure produced in the UK is used either for energy generation or as a fertiliser by other farming sectors. Each destination has full traceability, and manure will often be transported across the country to be used where it is most needed.