ASK AN ECO ACTIVIST

This month Glen Burrows, co-founder of The Ethical Butcher

CAN MEAT EVER REALLY BE ETHICAL?

When I set up The Ethical Butcher in 2018 with my business partner Farshad Kazemian [above right], our name certainly caused controversy. Some people think that eating animals can never be ethical, but we believe meat is part of our natural diet. It’s all about how you treat the animals and the environment.

HOW IS YOUR MEAT DIFFERENT?

We sell only meat produced to the highest welfare standards. Our farmers in Sussex, Hertfordshire, Shropshire and Cheshire ensure their sheep and cattle are 100 per cent pasture-fed. The animals live outside, roaming the fields and munching away on grass, wild flowers and clover. They’re never given imported grains to fatten them up, so they live longer, too.

IS IT ECO-FRIENDLY?

Our farmers practise ‘regenerative’ methods to improve soil health and biodiversity. Animals play an important role. Manure makes organic fertiliser, reducing the need for chemicals such as nitrates. As they graze, cows push vegetation into the soil with their hooves, increasing nutrient levels. Soil under pasture retains higher levels of carbon than crop land, too, meaning that some farms are even carbon negative, harnessing more carbon than they emit.

ISN’T VEGANISM STILL BETTER?

Some meat replacements are made from genetically modified soy, which is highly processed and has a large carbon footprint. If you use every part of the animal, one Longhorn cow can provide 1,000 human meals. Eating pasture-fed beef rather than imported grains and protein substitutes may well be more sustainable.

IS PASTURE-FED MORE NUTRITIOUS?

Fat from 100 per cent grass-fed animals is higher in vitamins and minerals such as beta-carotene and vitamin E than grain-fed meat. It also contains more omega-3, which is good for heart health and significantly higher in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which, according to trials, could help protect against some kinds of cancer.

WHAT’S THE MOST ETHICAL MEAT?

Lamb is usually a safe bet. Even conventionally reared sheep tend to be grass fed. Chicken is less reliable. Modern breeds are often given soy, grown in Brazil, to promote their growth. Even high-welfare chickens have soy in their diet. We offer soy-free chicken, fed British-grown grains instead.

DO YOU EAT MEAT EVERY DAY?

I was vegetarian for years because of the BSE crisis and only started eating meat again seven years ago. My wife Andrea was also vegetarian but became unwell. A doctor suggested she try a paleo diet, replacing carbohydrates and sugar with meat and greens. I tried it, too, and felt I had more energy and focus. Now, as long as it’s 100 per cent pasture-fed, I eat meat most days.

THAT MUST BE EXPENSIVE…

Quality meat is a luxury, but cuts such as brisket, skirt and shin are less costly. People are squeamish about cheaper parts including offal and liver, but they add deep flavour to mince. Meats from different producers have different flavour profiles – you can taste the terroir. We want to start a craft meat revolution.