The future of farming?1 June 2009
Will and Meg Edmonds run a family farm in Worcestershire, and business is good.
So good, in fact, they stretch to meet demand for their home-reared meat.
The Edmonds' organic farm is virtually self sufficient.
Cattle and sheep are grazed on the fields, and fed home-grown oats, wheat and barley in winter.
The production line
It is worlds apart from factory farmed meat and dairy.
Animals on industrial farms have been bred to grow fast, which means they need high-protein feeds.
Typically, this means South American soy, which is causing environmental and social devastation.
In Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina, forests and grasslands are being dug up to make way for soy plantations.
Local farmers are being moved off their land - or have to sell up because they cannot compete with the plantations.
The Food Chain Campaign is working to break the mutual dependence of the meat industry and soy production.
We want the Government to stop subsidising factory farming and promote alternatives to soy.
© Glyn Thomas
