By unlocking the export potential China offers the pig industry, not to mention the red meat sector as a whole, we could gain entry into a marketplace which comprises a fifth of the world’s population.‘Unsustainable’ livestock industry under attack
A SUBSTANTIAL reduction in meat and dairy consumption is essential to save the planet from environmental disaster, according to a new UN study.
But the assertion has frustrated British livestock farmers who have made substantial carbon footprint improvements in recent years. Furthermore they argue livestock farming can actually help to maintain the environment.
As the global population soars towards 9 billion people by 2050, the UN study says current levels of meat and dairy consumption are unsustainable.
The report comes from the UN Environment Programme’s international panel of sustainable resource management.
It identifies agriculture and food consumption as one of the most important drivers of environmental pressures, especially habitat change, climate change, water use and toxic emissions.
The only answer is to find an alternative diet, it asserts.
“Animal products, both meat and dairy, in general require more resources and cause higher emissions than plant-based alternatives.
“Unlike fossil fuels, it is difficult to look for alternatives: people have to eat. A substantial reduction of impacts would only be possible with a substantial worldwide diet change, away from animal products,” it says.
But the report has been criticised by British producers who say livestock production, as performed in the UK, is actually good for the environment.
More than 60 per cent of British agricultural land is grassland and much of it, particularly the hills and uplands, is unsuitable for other crops.
Semi-permanent rough grazing and improved grasslands play a vital role in locking up carbon dioxide and regulating the flow of rain into water courses.
Without livestock farming those natural resources would be abandoned and would die, they argue.
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Readers' comments (5)
eryl jones | 4 June 2010 11:08 am
we have a reasonable food supply/population balance in this country, though it would be the right thing to do to make child support available for the first 2 children only. If other countries are letting their populations explode with no hope of feeding them, then let them sort it out.
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Dairy Farmer | 4 June 2010 12:04 pm
So how are these veggies going to fertilize the ground to grow their crops? How will they sort out their vitamin deficiencies resulting from eating an almost vegan diet? Dairy and meat provide valuable nutrients and the livestock by-products have many uses. If they want to ban livestock, does that include eggs as well? Let's face it, climate change is all a big lie anyway, we're going to have another hard winter in 2010-11 so I'm not seeing any signs of climate change yet!
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Anonymous | 5 June 2010 11:04 am
Livestock in themselves aren't the problem, it's the way the industry raises them, and in particular I mean zero-grazed grain fed livestock, or barley beef as it was once called aswell as the huge dairy farm factories we're seeing today. I think it takes 8kgs of grain to produce 1kg of meat and that's not efficient when you take into account all the pesticides, fungicides, herbicides and oil it takes to grow the corn in the first place. Grass fed animals raised on good pasture is the answer. Pasture and the soil that lies beneath is the best carbon catcher there is available to fight any perceived changes in climate as a result of carbon emissions. I fully support dairy and beef farmers that are producing vitamin and nutrient rich products from grass. There animals are much happier too! These farmers (and their animals) need supporting. We must 'go back to the future' , embrace less is more and stop thinking that biggest is best.
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David Vinter | 9 June 2010 8:34 pm
Fact is there are large areas of the UK unsuitable for anything except stock farming, and given Britain can currently only produce enough food for 55% of it's population. In a world where over 1 billion humans go to bed hungry every night, where every week there are an extra one and a half million extra mouths to be fed in our small world.
Things look grim, especially as we are told we have run out of money!
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Beef Farmer | 12 June 2010 9:54 am
Typical farmer response from Dairy Farmer - does nothing to help the UK farming cause. Nobody said anything about banning livestock. A vegan diet is ok and can sustain you if that's what you want, it's called freedon of choice. Oh, and just because it's chilly this winter doesn't mean that climate change isn't happening. We all need to get over this arrogant approach that says we can be the boss of nature if we throw enough money and technology at it. Produce great beef, lamb, pork, produce it responsilby, and don't feed it with so much grain. Price your produce so that people don't throw most of it away and we will be able to feed everybody
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