Students at the University of Bristol have voted against a motion to ban meat and dairy at its Students’ Union (SU) outlets.
Students voted on a motion that would have transitioned its SU towards 100% plant-based catering, which would have required it to lobby for all on-campus vending machines to be vegan.
The motion’s proponents cited concerns about meat and dairy production contributing to global greenhouse gas emissions.
During the vote, the motion was opposed by 57% of the council, whilst 11% abstained, and 32% supported it.
One SU officer who opposed it explained that whilst sustainability is important, “there are more suitable alternatives, such as lobbying the university to source meat from more ethical sources.”
The vote's outcome has been welcomed by the Countryside Alliance, which is leading a campaign urging councils to back local farmers and require locally sourced meat, dairy, and plant-based products at council-catered events.
Presented as a motion before council, it has successfully passed in Cornwall, North Northamptonshire, Suffolk and Portsmouth.
The initiative responds to a number of councils, including Oxfordshire and Enfield, that have mandated vegan catering at their events in the face of local food producers.
Bristol SU’s rejection of its campus going vegan joins Edinburgh University, which similarly rejected a motion to mandate plant-based menus at Student Association venues this year.
In 2019, students at the University of East Anglia voted to overturn a previous decision to switch to all-vegan catering at its SU outlets.
Sabina Roberts, external affairs officer at the Countryside Alliance, said the body was pleased to see students voting overwhelmingly against compulsory diets and 'in favour of common sense'.
"People should have the freedom to choose what goes on their plate; we should be encouraging the public to eat locally sourced produce, which reduces food miles, not forcing them to follow any one particular diet.”
She added: “Farmers should be celebrated for their contributions to sustainability endeavours through regenerative farming techniques and the production of renewable energy."
