UK: Council bans meat and dairy, serving only vegan food and drink at meetings

From manchestereveningnews.co.uk

The move has been praised by animal rights campaigners

A city council has banned meat and dairy, promising to only serve plant-based food and drink at internal meetings from this month.

Nottingham council confirmed the move at a meeting on Monday (September 9). Animal rights campaigners have praised the local authority following the decision which will come into force from the end of the month - but a farmers' union has criticised the move.

The change comes after a local resident urged Nottingham “to do the same” as other councils, arguing that “meat and dairy are major contributors to the climate and ecological emergencies”, the PA news agency reports. According to council papers, the resident said that other local authorities such as Oxfordshire County Council, Exeter council and Cambridge council have adopted similar policies.

                                           The Council House in Nottingham city centre (Image: Joseph Raynor/Nottingham Post)

Animal rights organisation Peta (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has praised Nottingham council after it announced it will serve only plant-based food and drink at internal meetings from the end of September. In response to the city council’s decision, Dawn Carr, Peta’s vice president of vegan corporate project, told the PA news agency: “Nottingham City Council is fighting climate change with diet change, and Peta is delighted to see councillors taking action for animals while looking after their own health too.

“Peta applauds the authority for shining a green light on the benefits of eating vegan and hopes others will follow its compassionate lead.”

However, the National Farmers’ Union (NFU), which represents agricultural workers across England and Wales, criticised the policy change. NFU president Tom Bradshaw said: “What we eat is a personal choice and not something which is imposed.

"Decisions should be made in an informed way taking into consideration the nutritional, environmental and biodiversity benefits that eating a balanced diet, including meat and dairy, provides. We engage regularly with local councils and others about the importance of supporting local supply chains and the vital role farmers play at the heart of our rural communities.

“We have also organised seminars with a range of food service providers including with local authorities to discuss the benefits of meat and dairy to diets.”

Nottingham City Council has been contacted for comment.

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/uk-news/council-bans-meat-dairy-serving-29938278