Archived press release

MPs urged to back greener livestock law as meat waste impact is revealed

12 November 2010

An area of land almost the size of the Peak District is needed to grow enough animal feed for the meat we throw away in the UK every year, Friends of the Earth reveals today (Thursday 11 November 2010) ahead of the second reading tomorrow of a new law which will help stop UK meat and dairy consumption from trashing South American forests and wildlife.

The green campaigning charity says that around 120,000 hectares of land in South America are needlessly being used to grow animal feed every year. Most of this is soy production which is causing extensive deforestation and increasing greenhouse gas emissions, as well as increasing competition for farmland and bumping up food prices.

The Sustainable Livestock Bill, which is being introduced to Parliament today by Rob Flello MP and supported by Friends of the Earth's Food Chain Campaign, will require the Government to tackle the deforestation problem. 90 per cent of the South American Atlantic Forest has so far been destroyed, much of it to produce soy to feed the European meat and dairy industry.

The new law would require the Government to develop policies to help UK farmers to switch from imported soy to home-grown animal-feed, protecting rainforest and freeing up agricultural land in South America to grow food crops for local people. Ministers would also have to consider further policies - such as reducing the 775 truckloads of meat and dairy the UK throws away every year, ensuring greener food purchasing policies for schools, hospitals and care-homes and public information campaigns.

The Sustainable Livestock Bill has already attracted widespread support from MPs, green groups, celebrities and leading restaurants.

Friends of the Earth's Executive Director Andy Atkins said:

"UK meat and dairy production is causing enormous damage to South American forests and wildlife through its use of soy animal feed - we urgently need a new law to tackle it.

"Rob Flello's Sustainable Livestock Bill will require the Government to tackle this problem by supporting greener farming practices and providing more information to people on how they can help reduce the environmental impact of the meat and dairy products they consume."

ENDS

Notes to editors

1.    Friends of the Earth has produced a briefing on 'Why we need a Sustainable Livestock Bill'.

 2.   Friends of the Earth has produced information on how people can support the Bill .

3.    Friends of the Earth's 'From forest to fork' report reveals the UK's contribution to deforestation in Brazil.

4.    Friends of the Earth also wants the Government to help to reduce other kinds of food waste.  If UK households threw out half as many potatoes they would free up enough agricultural land in the UK to cut imports of soy by almost a third.

5.    More information on Friends of the Earth's food and farming campaign is available at www.jointhemoovement.com.

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust