Welsh meat farmed in a climate-friendly way
IT’S high time the BBC introduced the same investigative Reality Check for its own commissioned programmes as it does for statements made by others who hold positions of responsibility and influence in public life.
I refer to the Meat: A Threat to our Planet documentary aired by the BBC on Monday, November 25, which failed to accurately explain to the British public the environmental impact of eating meat.
The hour-long documentary focused almost entirely on American production systems that bear no resemblance to farming systems here in the UK, leaving the audience with the misleading impression that all meat is produced in this way.
The reality of food production here in Wales is very different; Welsh farmers produce some of the most climate-friendly meat in the world and have an ambition to reach net zero agricultural emissions by 2040.
The distinct lack of context in the broadcast meant viewers were not notified that Welsh beef production systems are 2.5 times more efficient than the global average. Nor were viewers informed that the vast majority of Welsh beef is produced using grass-based diets, with over 85% of the water used to produce a kilogram of beef coming from rainfall.
The important message consumers should be getting is they can purchase Welsh produce safe in the knowledge that they are buying a safe, quality and affordable product that has been produced to the highest animal welfare and sustainability standards. John Davies NFU Cymru President