BRITISH LION eggs are one of UK agriculture's success stories – and the British Egg Industry Council's manifesto for this week's General Election centres on protecting their home market from inferior imports.

That manifesto, which has been sent to all election candidates, includes calls for Ministers to retain import tariffs on eggs and egg products in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

It also sets out the need for assurances that EU migrant farm workers currently in the UK will be permitted to continue to work, as well as plans to encourage more young people into careers within the domestic egg industry.

Election candidates have also been asked to show their support for the British egg industry by taking a photo of themselves with a British Lion egg and sharing it on social with #BackingBritishEggs.

BEIC head of public affairs Morgan Brobyn said: “It is imperative that we, as an industry, make the value of the egg industry to the UK economy clear to all MPs, highlight what it needs to maintain its position as one of UK agriculture’s major success stories, and the risks associated with certain decisions, such as the current plan to impose no import tariffs on eggs and egg products.”

The British Lion Code of Practice has been hailed as the UK’s most successful food safety scheme. More than 90% of UK eggs are now produced to its standards and more than 150 billion British Lion eggs have been produced since its launch in 1998. The independently audited code contains strict food safety controls above and beyond EU and UK legislation, and covers more than 700 auditable points from Salmonella vaccination to complete traceability of hens, eggs and feed.

In 2017, the Food Standards Agency confirmed that Lion eggs are the only ones that are safe to be consumed runny, or even raw, by vulnerable groups.

If you would like to show your support for the British egg industry, take a photo of yourself with a British Lion egg for Facebook, Instagram or Twitter using the hashtag #BackingBritishEggs