Anger as Tameside Council urges public to follow veganuary challenge

Rural campaigners have urged Tameside Council to drop its support for veganuary and, instead, support freedom of choice and farmers of all sectors.

It comes as the council encouraged local residents to sign up to the challenge, which urges people to eat exclusively vegan food for the month of January.

The council claims that a plant-based diet reduces pollution and slows the threat of climate change by cutting the number of natural resources used to produce meat and dairy.

Yet critics argue the claims rely on global statistics about emissions from livestock farming, which ignore the nuances of UK-specific food production.

British meat production, due to the efficiencies of the country's farmers, is seen as among the most sustainable in the world.

The Countryside Alliance, which spearheads a campaign urging councils across the country to back farmers of all sectors, called it a 'simplistic claim'.

The body also said it was an "attack on British farmers altogether, who work tirelessly to produce nutritious, affordable, and sustainable food for our populace."

Sabina Roberts, external affairs officer at the alliance, said: “British farmers are part of the solution to climate change, not part of the problem.

"The UK agricultural sector is pioneering regenerative farming techniques that reduce emissions and increase biodiversity. It is disappointing to see a Council ignore these efforts and regurgitate lazy claims”.

She added: “Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council should be using its platform to promote the excellent meat, dairy, and vegetable produce of the north west region."

The Countryside Alliance has been pushing what it calls a ‘rural fightback’, urging councils to commit to supporting local farmers and sourcing locally-produced meat and dairy at their events.

Dorset, Fenland, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Cornwall, and North Northamptonshire Councils have already voted in favour of the rural group's motion.

In supporting it, Dorset Cllr Byron Quayle recently said that farmers and food producers were facing 'breaking-point pressures'.

“Food security is one of the most important issues facing Dorset and the nation as a whole," he said.

"Our farmers deliver quality, fresh, seasonal, and affordable food to world-leading environmental and welfare standards. However, agriculture has become less profitable and the industry is in decline.

"If this industry is not supported now, we simply won’t have the capacity to meet this need in the future”.