Staffordshire Moorlands District Council has voted to proactively support local farmers by buying meat and dairy for council-organised events.
The motion ensures that all catering at council-organised events is sourced from local suppliers, following campaigning by the Countryside Alliance.
Unanimously passed by councillors, it specifically includes meat and dairy options, alongside fruit and vegetables.
The motion will also commit the council to encouraging local residents to shop locally by taking advantage of home-grown produce, with an aim of reducing food miles to plates.
Following a debate in the council chamber on Wednesday (28 February), an amendment was introduced to commit the council to protecting agricultural land in the Local Plan when it is reviewed in the next year.
Both the motion and the amendment passed with all councillors voting in favour.
The move comes after a string of other councils voted to ban meat and dairy items on council-catered menus elsewhere.
However, Staffordshire Moorlands District Council is the eighth in a matter of months to defy the vegan trend, after Wiltshire Council voted to keep meat and dairy following a vote last week.
It comes amid a series of protests and mass meetings in Wales and Scotland in response to growing concerns about several areas of agricultural and rural policy.
Speaking at the Staffordshire meeting, Conservative Councillor Joe Porter, who introduced the motion, said British farmers 'have had a really tough time'.
"I felt it was important to bring this issue to this chamber," he said, "Staffordshire is vital for British agriculture - the sector contributes £644m to the West Midlands economy.”
Cllr Philip Barks (Labour), who seconded the motion, added: “Farmers are an important part of the Staffordshire Moorlands economy and farmers themselves are key environmental players.
“I’m confident this administration will do what it has to to support our rural community and I’m pleased to hear positive dialogue has taken place.”
In 2021, Oxfordshire County Council sparked outrage among farmers, including Jeremy Clarkson, when it passed a motion submitted by a Green party councillor to ban meat and dairy at its events.
At the time, the council justified the policy by saying it was "in the interest of the health of our planet and the health of our people".
