Upcoming food strategy to call for UK 'protein transition'

The second part of the strategy is expected to urge the public to eat less meat and favour alternatives
The second part of the strategy is expected to urge the public to eat less meat and favour alternatives

British people will be encouraged to eat less meat to protect the environment as part of a 'protein transition', according to reports on the upcoming National Food Strategy.

The second instalment of businessman Henry Dimbleby's report is due to be released on Thursday (15 July), following the first part which was released last year.

The National Food Strategy is the first review looking at the nation’s food system in nearly 75 years.

It is widely expected that the new release will include measures designed to encourage the public to eat less meat as part of a 'protein transition'.

According to The Times, the review will urge people to eat algae, fermented microbes and other meat alternatives to deal with climate change and the health crisis.

Mr Dimbleby, who was invited by the government to lead the independent review, is also expected to call for changes to Britain's agricultural production.

While accepting that many will not want to ditch meat, he could argue that a major proportion of the public's intake is in the form of mince which may be easily substituted with alternatives.

According to the paper, the businessman is also expected to shun a simple 'meat tax', but he may warn that this measure could be needed in future.

Part one of the strategy, released in July 2020, called for a sustainable food system based upon diversity, including organic farms and solar-powered greenhouses.

Cutting-edge technology such as weed-picking robots and blight-spotting drones should also be invested in, the 110-page report said.

The government's new Environmental Land Management (ELM) Scheme, which would pay farmers £2.4bn a year to boost the environment, should be pressed ahead.