The NFU, British Poultry Council and the British Egg Industry Council is calling for a three year moratorium on regulatory fees for the new Integrated Pollution, Prevention and Control regulations for poultry farmers.
NFU bosses have joined forces with the BPC and the BEIC in calling for the poultry industry to self-regulate and carry out independent inspections for the new environmental regulations.
Reducing implementation costs of the IPPC on Government, which normally recoups its inspection costs from farmers, is paramount to helping the industry cope with the new financial demands.
In a joint statement the three industry bodies said: "All sectors in the poultry industry have actively responded to consumer demand and farmers have already significantly invested on farms to meet the environmental demands within the IPPC.
"The industry is not against the new environmental IPPC regulation but with years of downward price pressure and the effect of AI on poultry meat, farmers cannot continue to absorb regulatory fees when they are not recouping the cost of production.
"In the long-term the NFU, BPC and BEIC believe these fees can be dramatically reduced by using self-regulation and independent inspection in the poultry industry to cut costs."
The poultry meat industry estimates AI has cost £58m since the autumn. Poultry farmers are working hard to safeguard their future business in the light of further threats from AI and downward price pressure - exacerbated by the fierce competition that exists within the retail sector.
NFU poultry board chairman Charles Bourns said: "The costs demanded by Government for enforcing this regulation will put some British poultry businesses at significant risk.
"We want to work with the Government in reducing costs to the farmer, delivering real benefits to the environment and continue to deliver high quality poultry produce to the British consumer. Supply chains also have a big responsibility to ensure their suppliers have sustainable futures.
"We can help Government to deliver on its objectives in terms of better and smarter regulation and that includes associated costs. We will be speaking with ministers to find a solution and avoid further threats to the industry."
