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Meat-free Mondays welcomed but more must be done to fix the food chain
15 June 2009
Friends of the Earth has welcomed the Meat Free Mondays initiative launched today by Paul McCartney highlighting the impact of meat production on climate change. But the environment group is urging the Government to change the way meat and dairy are produced to tackle the damaging environmental and social impacts of intensive production.
One of the main reasons meat and dairy production has such a major impact on climate change is forest destruction to make way for soy plantations. The UK imports over two million tonnes of soy each year from South America to feed animals - mostly pigs and poultry in intensive systems - and £700 million of taxpayers' money is spent propping up intensive meat and dairy production in England. This contributes to climate change, destroys wildlife and forces small farmers and indigenous communities off their land.
Friends of the Earth's Senior Food Campaigner, Clare Oxborrow said:
"Cutting down on meat delivers a double win for the health of people and the planet, but to fix the broken food chain the Government must act too."
"At the moment the Government is spending millions of pounds of taxpayers' money on factory farms - the killer link in a hidden chain that connects the food on our plates to climate change and rainforest destruction."
"The Government must urgently support planet-friendly farming in the UK by shifting subsidies to help small farmers produce home-grown animal feeds and alternative breeds."
Notes:
1. More information about Friends of the Earth's Food Chain Campaign can be found at www.fixthefoodchain.com
2. What's feeding our food? The environmental and social impacts of the livestock sector www.foe.co.uk/resource/briefings/livestock_impacts.pdf
3. Feeding the Beast - how public money is propping up factory farms www.foe.co.uk/resource/briefings/feeding_the_beast.pdf
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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust
Last modified: Jun 2009
