The US ambassador to Britain on Saturday denounced a "smear campaign" against American agriculture as Washington and London try to pave the way to a post-Brexit trade deal.
Woody Johnson said Britons were being fed "inflammatory and misleading terms" such as chlorinated chicken and hormone beef to cast US agriculture in "the worst possible light".
Britain is due to leave the European Union on March 29 and will be free to strike its own trade deals afterwards.
"We Americans are now ready to negotiate the most ambitious and comprehensive trade deal in the history of our special relationship," Johnson wrote in The Daily Telegraph newspaper.
"And, of course, we want agriculture to be part of those negotiations -- it is a great opportunity for both of us.
"But the British public has been led to believe otherwise."
"It's time the myths are called out for what they really are: a smear campaign from people with their own protectionist agenda."
A spokeswoman for British Prime Minister Theresa May's Downing Street office said: "We have always been very clear that we will not lower our food standards as part of a future trading agreement."
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