Defra gets tough with veggie lobby
THE Government last night moved to sideline environmental food zealots who have called for Britain to turn vegetarian in the battle against climate change.
As another report demanded families curb their meat and dairy consumption, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs broke cover to insist the plan had no chance of becoming Government policy.
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"We are supposed to be here to support the livestock industry," said a source. "We are not going to do something which destroys that."
Environment Secretary Hilary Benn and other senior figures were known to have grown increasingly frustrated at demands from other parts of Government for diets to be altered, without regard to the efforts already being made by farmers to reduce harmful emissions.
Yesterday, the Sustainable Development Commission (SDC) said a "top priority" for Government policy must be "reducing meat and dairy consumption, reducing consumption of food and drink of low nutritional value and reducing food waste".
In its report Setting the Table – Advice to Government on priority elements of sustainable diets, the SDC admitted there were "complexities and political sensitivities to the 'meat and dairy' issue".
But the report's authors insisted the evidence of the "negative environmental sustainability impacts of livestock production is overwhelming, and includes responsibility for almost one-fifth of the world's total greenhouse gas emissions".
Tim Lang, food commissioner at the SDC, said: "Cutting down on meat and dairy, and eating only sustainably sourced fish, fruit and vegetables, would all help reduce the impact of our food system, as well as improving health."
Defra last night sought to distance itself from the study – which it commissioned. A well-placed source at the department said the report was "not particularly helpful" and "does not represent Government policy".
The tough stance from Defra comes less than three weeks after Health Secretary Andy Burnham controversially championed a report which demanded a 30 per cent reduction in livestock in high-producing countries to meet climate change targets.
Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband and international development minister Mike Foster were also at the launch of the Lancet study, but Defra appeared to have been left out of the loop, sparking tense behind-the-scenes exchanges in Whitehall.
NFU president Peter Kendall said that if the UK Government wanted to be seen as a world leader on tackling climate change "they will need to work with farmers and not alienate them with soundbites".
Defra ministers have become increasingly strident in their support for British agriculture. The department has previously come in for criticism over the issue, with some noting that Mr Benn is a vegetarian and farming minister Jim Fitzpatrick does not eat meat either.
A Defra spokesman said: "We are working with industry to reduce emissions from the whole food chain, including those associated with the consumption of meat."
41 Comments
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by Merv, Planet Earth
Wednesday, December 16 2009, 8:30PM
“Simple question.
How many humans have died from "Mad Tofu Disease" ?”
by Albert, Truro
Tuesday, December 15 2009, 11:34PM
“The answer's simple - if you choose not to eat meat, for whatever reason makes sense to you, then fine. Why should Joe Public be pressured by these whining fusspots? I have always eaten meat and see no reason to stop. What on earth is this SDC anyway? Another Government QUANGO commissioned to produce a report that was immediately rejected. Well that was a good use of public funds, well done DEFRA.
Hilary Benn and his minions say nothing that is of interest or value to Cornwall. Stay in London and chew on your mung beans, leave us in RURAL Britain to our own devices. We can manage perfectly well, thank you.”
by chris, luxulyan
Tuesday, December 15 2009, 4:34PM
“Beans and cauliflower tend to make a lot of greenhouse gasses,wonder what the rest of the veggie world produces.At least if you eat beef you ridding the world of a flatulence producer.”
by Theo H, Lifton
Monday, December 14 2009, 9:50PM
“@ WMN Web Editor
I thought the discussion on climate change that went to 88 posts was one of the better and more successful ones.
There are good discussions sometimes, poor discussions other times.”
by Hannah, Penzance
Monday, December 14 2009, 8:26PM
“I also made a comment which has not appeared the gist of which was that to describe anyone advocating vegetarianism for the sake of the planet as an environmental zealot is hardly balanced reporting. Where's the comment?”
by Neil, Truro
Monday, December 14 2009, 7:43PM
“DEFRA's advice: Keep those heads in the sand. Keep your blinkers on. Keep on munching your meat, and anyone that points out the truth of the matter is a "environmental food zealot". Wake and smell the coffee people, animal farming is depleting the countryside (due to it's excessive land use compared to crop farming), and costing the Earth. And what's more meat is unhealthy on a regular basis. But the powers that be (NFU, DEFRA etc) can't face up to the truth and have to resort to lies.
No suprise there. You can all go back to sleepwalking to disaster now.
*I'm reposting this as it was posted on Sunday and did not appear on here. I look forward to seeing if it gets accepted or whether the thisiscornwall site is against free speech.*”
by tracey, north Cornwall
Monday, December 14 2009, 7:27PM
“we need to support our farmers not destroy their industry. the thought of cutting down on meat to save the planet, it mad. most farmers are working with the environment to make it better. do not avoid buying british meat”
by ,
Monday, December 14 2009, 2:17PM
“@TimV. We’re all for great debate when it actually happens. Sometimes the to and fro-ing between contributors can be quite interesting when they are exchanging their views. It’s when those views descend into personal attacks and insults that it all becomes a bit tedious to entertain. This particular thread has been going that direction since late Sunday and while I hope beyond hope that we get back on track I fear the thread will have to be closed sooner than we’d like.
WMN Web Editor”
by TimV, Pz
Monday, December 14 2009, 2:07PM
“To improve the quality of this amazing facility, I suggest WMN introduces a "one-comment-per-person-per-topic" rule. OOPS! Better make that two, or this would not be posted LOL!”
by Freethinker, Cornwall
Monday, December 14 2009, 1:01PM
“Anyone who believes in man-made climate change needs their heads seeing to. I bet Henry you didn't even bother to read the entire document. No, you would rather carry on chucking insults at people. That's the only thing your good at Henry, the fine art of insulting people. When you haven't got anything genuine to say, don't say it. I get the feeling your a rather bitter old man. You carry on believing in the phoney science of man - made climate change. The fight goes on against man - made climate change. Freethinker”