Rural campaigners have called on several councils to scrap their support for 'veganuary' and plant-based diets, and instead back local farmers of all sectors.
Lambeth, Spelthorne, Hertfordshire, Taunton and Cambridge city councils have all initiated campaigns that urge residents to switch to vegetarian or vegan diets.
Hertfordshire County Council has called for people to sign up to veganuary – a challenge to eat exclusively vegan food for the month of January.
The council claims that the campaign "highlights the health, environmental, and ethical benefits of a plant-based diet".
Elsewhere, Cambridge City Council has urged the public to sign 'the Cambridge Climate Change Charter'.
It claims that "reducing the amount of meat we eat and eating more plant-based food is a way that we can all help produce less carbon, save water and help reduce the effects of climate change".
Lambeth Borough Council in London has urged residents to ‘reduce meat’ consumption while claiming its ‘good for your health and the planet’.
Additionally, Taunton Town Council in Somerset encouraged people to either ‘entirely’ or ‘increase’ plant-based meals as a New Year resolution.
Rural campaigners at the Countryside Alliance have hit back, arguing that the councils are ‘repeating lazy tropes’ about British livestock farming.
This includes relying on global statistics about emissions from livestock farming which ignore UK-specific food production.
The organisation argues that British-produced meat and dairy is among the most sustainable in the world.
Mo Metcalf-Fisher, director of external affairs for the Countryside Alliance, said British farmers "are part of the solution to climate change, not part of the problem".
He said: "The UK agricultural sector is leading the way to reduce emissions and increase biodiversity. It is disappointing to see councils ignoring these efforts and regurgitating lazy claims.
“These council should be using their platforms to promote local meat, dairy, and vegetable produce, rather than spreading tenuous claims about the benefits of plant-based diets or encouraging any one diet for their residents.”
It comes as Dorset, Fenland, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Cornwall, and North Northamptonshire Councils have all recently voted in favour of a campaign to promote British farming.
