Haywards Heath in West Sussex has become the first town in Europe to sign up to the Plant Based Treaty. The local Green Party led the controversial move, without consultation, because they believe that animal farming is highly impactful on climate change.

National Craft Butchers say that the good people of Haywards Heath should decide for themselves what they eat and may want to consider the following points:

• The UK ‘s greenhouse gas emissions come from:
  • Transport    27%
  • Energy          21%
  • Business      17%
  • Homes          15%
  • Livestock     6%
  • Crops            4%

(official government statistics)

• There are therefore many, many other opportunities for an individual to reduce their carbon footprint, which would also have a much greater impact than giving up meat.

• 65% of the UK’s agricultural land is grassland and is not suitable for crops. By using this land to graze cattle and sheep farmers can turn grass that we cannot eat into high quality protein that we can eat.

• Managed grassland is an excellent carbon sink and is unaffected by wildfires.

• Red meat and dairy produced in the UK is among the most sustainable in the world.

•  Buying local meat from a local craft butcher reduces an individual’s carbon footprint even further.

• Evolutionary science, human biology and common sense, tell us that a balanced omnivore diet first created and then sustained humanity over millions of years.

• Meat, fish, dairy and eggs are nutrient-dense foods that also contain high quality and easily digested protein.

• Most plant- based foods are ultra-processed, contain many chemical additives and are of dubious nutritional value.

• Vegetarians are 33% more likely to suffer broken bones. For vegans its 43%. Nonmeat eaters are almost twice as likely to suffer depression as those on a conventional balanced diet.

For more information on meat in the diet visit: www.weeatbalanced.com

This website is published by AHDB a highly respected and evidence-based statutory body set up by Parliament.