‘Don’t ignore red meat’s vital role in our diet’

FARMERS in the West have hit back at claims in a report from scientists that people should largely give up meat and dairy products for the good of their health and the planet.

The ‘planetary health diet’ suggests a massive shift from meat to vegetable consumption is needed to protect the well-being of future generations and the planet.

But the National Farmers’ Union warned that applying proposals drawn up on a global scale to local food production and consumption threw up a number of problems.

NFU vice-president Stuart Roberts said: “It is vitally important that a wide-ranging, global report like this is looked at through a local lens. There are significant differences in farming methods and consumption patterns across the globe and it is important we recognise that the British livestock industry is one of the most efficient and sustainable in the world. For example, 65 per cent of UK farmland is highly suitable for grass production over other crops, so the UK is well placed to produce food from sustainable livestock grazing systems. Also, grassland is a very good store of carbon, helping to mitigate the effects of climate change.

“Scientific communities agree that red meat plays a vital role in a healthy, balanced diet as a rich source of essential nutrients, minerals, amino acids and protein. It is overly simplistic to target one food group for a significant reduction in consumption and it ignores its medically accepted role as a key part of a healthy, balanced diet.

“It is clear that climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time and British farmers are continuing to take action. A combination of policies and practises will be needed to enable farmers to meet their ambitions but we must not forget the impact of a changing climate on food production – we only have to look back to the drought last year to see the effect it can have.

“With a new Agriculture Bill being introduced, the UK now has an opportunity to become more productive and efficient and I hope to see this incentivised through targeted government support. The NFU will continue to engage with government and industry to emphasise the important role farmers play in producing food for the nation and man- aging our cherished countryside.”

The authors of the report claim moving to what they describe as healthier, more sustainable eating habits around the world could prevent 11 million premature deaths per year by 2050.

But Devon beef farmer Catherine Broomfield tweeted: “Yes to more vegetables, fruit, pulses etc. Yes to less meat. But surely no one is seriously suggesting that intensive, grain fed pork and poultry is a healthier more sustainable option over red meat from low input grazing ruminants?”

A new report says switching from meat to vegetable consumptionwill save the planet