The future of British farming could be on trial, according to Avara Foods, as it faces the UK’s largest environmental pollution claim.
The poultry giant, its subsidiary Freemans of Newent and non-profit Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water are being sued in the High Court by over 1,300 claimants, represented by law firm Leigh Day, for polluting the rivers Wye, Lugg and Usk.
They allege chicken manure and sewage spills have caused algal blooms that have caused loss, damage and “constitutes a nuisance”, according to written documents.
The preliminary hearing concluded in London on Monday, with a further hearing expected at a later date.
All three defendants deny the allegations, but a spokesman for Avara Foods said the claims risked “undermining British farming”.
“[It] will not change the need to feed a population of 70 million people, 90% of which want to eat chicken,” the spokesman said. “Instead, it would hinder food production, and push supply overseas, reducing food security and making the UK more reliant on imported food, produced with less oversight.”
He continued: “We employ thousands of people and partner with hundreds of farmers to help feed millions across the UK each week.
“Around nine in 10 people in the UK eat chicken, and British poultry plays a critical role in meeting that demand with affordable, high-quality food produced here in the UK.”
The High Court legal challenge was filed last autumn as claimants said they would show Avara, Freemans and Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water were liable for the pollution in the rivers.
The River Wye was rated “unfavourable – declining” by Natural England in 2023. The 2024 River Wye Action Plan quoted Lancaster University research that found the majority of the surplus phosphorus added to the soils of the River Wye catchment came from livestock manures, especially poultry.
Avara called the lawsuit “misconceived” and reflected “a misunderstanding of both our business and the wider factors affecting river health”.
The businesses argued Environment Agency data pointed to a downward trend in phosphorus levels and other independent research revealed river health was influenced factors unrelated to its operations.
“We are confident in our position and believe the claim is unsupported by any proper scientific basis,” the Avara spokesman added.
Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water told The Grocer the case was “misguided” and risked diverting resources away from improving river health. The non-profit said it had invested more than £76m on reducing nutrient levels to improve water quality on the Wye, Lugg and Usk rivers between 2020 and 2025.
“Any financial penalties would directly reduce the funding available to invest in essential services and deliver the environmental improvements our customers expect,” a spokesman said.
A Leigh Day spokesman said: “Yesterday was a procedural hearing that marked the first step in these landmark claims. The hearing focused on how a very large number of individual claims should be managed together efficiently and fairly.
”The substance of the claims has not yet been considered. The claimants look forward to putting forward their arguments in the case in future hearings.”
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