9 November 2009

2 minute read

Europe

Meat and dairy products have hit the headlines recently because of their contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, with Lord Stern last week saying that eating "less meat is better for the planet".

But livestock farmers are part of the solution to climate change and global food insecurity and are already taking steps to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and their impact on the environment.

EBLEX's beef and sheep environmental roadmap, to be launched later this month, will support the industry as it moves to do more. Livestock farming is very important to the UK, employing 188,000 people and contributing £2.3 billion to the economy.

With presentations from leading beef and sheep experts and a major UK retailer, this workshop will look at how farmers can maintain support from consumers for meat and dairy farming in a 'carbon-savvy' world.

Organised by Farming Futures and EBLEX, the event will be held at FAI Farms Ltd. in Wytham, just outside Oxford. A morning of presentations will explore the importance of the industry and the wider food supply chain in combating climate change and the work of FAI Farms in understanding how livestock can have a positive effect on the environment and how production systems might be developed in the future to reduce the effects of global warming.

After a complimentary lunch, workshops will discuss plant breeding and feeding for reduced emissions, as well as a farm tour and a discussion with local vets on the impact of climate change on livestock disease.

The event will also be a great opportunity to network with other farmers in the industry and share knowledge.

The workshop is free and lunch and refreshments are included. The details are:

Date: 9th December 2009
Time: 09:30-16:30
Venue: FAI farms, Wytham, Oxford, OX2 8QJ
Focus on: Making beef and sheep farming fit for the future
To register: Please call William Frazer on 0207 324 3637 or email [email protected]

In February 2009 half of all farmers surveyed in England as part of the Farming Futures project said they were already affected by climate change and more than 60 per cent expect to be affected in the next ten years.