Growth hormones and gestation crates: the bacon we'll buy with a US trade deal

Trade deal would open door to meat containing banned growth promoters, from pigs kept in conditions banned in UK, industry leaders warn

The US meat lobby is "salivating" at the prospect of flooding the UK with bacon and pork produced using practices that would currently be illegal in the UK, a top food expert has warned.

Gestation crates and the chemical growth hormone ractopamine - both banned in the UK - are regularly used in the US pig industry, which achieves the lowest costs of production in the world. Any future trade deal which includes accepting US pork could potentially have a disastrous impact on the UK's pig industry as well as diluting our welfare standards, say both industry and campaigners.