Responding to the Government’s ‘Progress towards a sustainable future for livestock farming’ report to be published today, Friends of the Earth’s Senior Farming Campaigner Clare Oxborrow said:

“Ministers are failing to deal with the enormous impact meat and dairy production has on wildlife and communities - particularly from soy grown at the expense of forests in South America and imported into the UK for animal feed.

“Although there has been some progress on research into imported soy alternatives, far more must be done to enable UK farmers to switch to planet-friendly farming methods.

“Reforming European farming policy is essential for the environment and global food security – UK Ministers must push for changes aimed at cultivating home-grown alternatives to overseas soy.

“We can’t allow our food system to cost the earth – the Government must do better.”

Earlier this month, Friends of the Earth produced a report card assessing Government progress in making UK livestock farming more sustainable. Agriculture Minister Jim Paice promised - at a Friends of the Earth farming conference last year - that the Government would “play its part”.

The report card, based on a detailed assessment by the environmental charity, showed progress could be better. It revealed the Government has:

•         failed to push for planet-friendly farming reforms to the Common Agriculture Policy (we awarded them a D);

•         failed to encourage the use of more food waste for animal feed (they got an F in our Report Card) – however, the latest report shows that Defra has commissioned a research project to explore how food and catering waste could be fed to animals. We therefore revise the score to a C;

•         failed to produce clear public advice and industry guidance on healthy and sustainable diets (grade F);

•         missed a major opportunity to promote better ingredients and healthier menus in canteens in schools and hospitals (grade D).

However, Friends of the Earth found some progress on research into alternatives to soy for animal feed (scoring a B in the report card) and recognised the potential of a new government project - called the Green Food Project - which is investigating how to increase production whilst protecting the environment (grade C).

Friends of the Earth is also urging the Government to keep its promise to announce a new Groceries Code Adjudicator Bill in the forthcoming Queen’s Speech – to improve the treatment of farmers by the big supermarket chains. 

ENDS

Notes to editor:

1. “Progress towards a sustainable future for livestock farming” is available from Friends of the Earth and will be published today. The report includes contributions from the farming industry as well as an overall view on progress by Defra.

2.    During the second reading debate on the Sustainable Livestock Bill  (which failed to make it through the reading in November 2010) Agriculture Minister Jim Paice offered to participate in a conference of all interested parties to take stock of progress and what needed to be done and to publish a report on achievements. To facilitate this Friends of the Earth organised a Sustainable Livestock Symposium in March 2011 with key stakeholders from the farming industry along with retailers, academics and environmental NGOs.  At the event the Minister promised that DEFRA would “play its part” and would produce a ‘one year on report’ setting out progress in March 2012. This commitment was welcomed by Friends of the Earth. For  more information see here.

3.    On the reform of the CAP which is under negotiations this year in Europe, Friends of the Earth is asking DEFRA to

•         Publish within two months a paper outlining exactly what its policies are on CAP reform that can shift the UK towards more home grown feeds and sustainable livestock

•         Include in this and in negotiations in Europe, a demand for genuinely greener subsidies that support farmers in using home grown feeds and pasture, and using crop rotations with legumes

•         Make supporting payments which will specifically increase production of protein crops based on environmental concerns

•         Promote payments targeted towards helping smaller farms and those with high nature value

4.    The Report Card is drawn from research undertaken over December 2011 and January 2012, can be seen here. The report ‘Sustainable Livestock Bill and Symposium: one year progress report’ can be accessed here.