Why is the NFU president going along with the idea that cattle are polluting the atmosphere??

Pilatus

Member
Location
cotswolds
I ask the above as when we drove to Glasgow from Gloucestershire, I saw so few cattle that I just can’t believe cattle are causing as much harm to the atmosphere that academics data would have us believe.Perhaps those of you who are beef/ dairy farmers in the more livestock areas of the Uk would care to comment . To get a worldwide perspective on this exaggerated claim that cattle are polluting the atmosphere it would be great if TFF livestock farmers from around the world would comment,@Kiwi Pete and @Blaithin might care to comment.
 

DaveGrohl

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Cumbria
I ask the above as when we drove to Glasgow from Gloucestershire, I saw so few cattle that I just can’t believe cattle are causing as much harm to the atmosphere that academics data would have us believe.Perhaps those of you who are beef/ dairy farmers in the more livestock areas of the Uk would care to comment . To get a worldwide perspective on this exaggerated claim that cattle are polluting the atmosphere it would be great if TFF livestock farmers from around the world would comment,@Kiwi Pete and @Blaithin might care to comment.
She simply doesn't understand the maths involved, relatively simple as they are.
 

Ffermer Bach

Member
Livestock Farmer
I think people do "one thing" to sort each problem, the current problem we are all facing is climate change, and everybody has one change in them to happily make. It should be reduce consumption of fossil fuels, however all the biggest companies in the world make their money from fossil fuels in one form or another, so they are persuading the population that the one thing they can do is stop eating meat, this means that people wont do anything else (which would interfere with their profits).

Cattle and stock farmers are the innocent victims of the tobacco industry playbook.

 

DaveGrohl

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Cumbria
I think people do "one thing" to sort each problem, the current problem we are all facing is climate change, and everybody has one change in them to happily make. It should be reduce consumption of fossil fuels, however all the biggest companies in the world make their money from fossil fuels in one form or another, so they are persuading the population that the one thing they can do is stop eating meat, this means that people wont do anything else (which would interfere with their profits).

Cattle and stock farmers are the innocent victims of the tobacco industry playbook.

You could also try the sugar and processed food industries for further examples.
 

delilah

Member
If we are to see a change in NFU policy, then great, but lets be clear: You can't say that cows are good for the soil but bad for the atmosphere. Either cows are part of a sustainable food system or they are not.

Everything on the NFU website that blames cows for GHG emissions, every statement the top table have come out with apologizing for cows, it all needs taking down and retracting. Now.
 

Clive

Staff Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lichfield
She must be reading this forum.

why wouldn't she be ?

In fact anyone "of influence" in UK agriculture would be negligent if they were not doing so to gauge the opinion of the largest collection of farmers in the UK (regardless of if they like those opinions or not !)

Many years ago I recall at my entry interview for Harper Adams, I was asked questions about that weeks Farmers Weekly articles to check I was a reader, I guess they wanted to see my interest in the industry and ability to keep up with current affairs and opinions ? The forum is a far better version of that these days
 
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Blaithin

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Alberta
Comment on what? Is it just an NFU / UK thing? No, not at all.

Why is it said so frequently? Because cattle have a very complex relationship with their environment. Too complex for pretty much anyone to fully grasp, especially those who have nothing to do with cattle to begin with. So all they need is to see a photo of a feedlot (or even a corral of animals here during winter) and they are instantly convinced cattle are destroying the world.

A picture is worth 1000 words. But people see pictures of cities and freeways and gas plants and power plants, etc all the time so they are desensitized to them. They don’t frequently see pictures of feedlots. (At the same time most feedlot pictures aren’t really that shocking and could even be confused with an auction mart) It’s the ignorant reacting to what they don’t know. Much like an ex who was flabbergasted to find out what a PAP smear actually is.
 

Barleycorn

Member
BASE UK Member
Location
Hampshire
Comment on what? Is it just an NFU / UK thing? No, not at all.

Why is it said so frequently? Because cattle have a very complex relationship with their environment. Too complex for pretty much anyone to fully grasp, especially those who have nothing to do with cattle to begin with. So all they need is to see a photo of a feedlot (or even a corral of animals here during winter) and they are instantly convinced cattle are destroying the world.

A picture is worth 1000 words. But people see pictures of cities and freeways and gas plants and power plants, etc all the time so they are desensitized to them. They don’t frequently see pictures of feedlots. (At the same time most feedlot pictures aren’t really that shocking and could even be confused with an auction mart) It’s the ignorant reacting to what they don’t know. Much like an ex who was flabbergasted to find out what a PAP smear actually is.
Had to Google Pap smear, but over here (UK) they are called cervical smears, and I know all about them because the Mrs moans about them!!
 

Jerry

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Devon
On the subject of a picture being worth a 1000 words, have you ever seen the two part picture that appears on Facebook from time to time, top part a city clouded in smog, bottom part some cattle lying in a field chewing their cud, the caption, people who live here blaming these for destroying the planet.

I quite like this one, but probably too complex for the average viewer as it takes more than 30 seconds to take it all in.
Sacred+Cow+Infographic+L+5.4-01.png
 

Blaithin

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Alberta
I quite like this one, but probably too complex for the average viewer as it takes more than 30 seconds to take it all in.
View attachment 994453
The two most serious offenders from cattle are CH4 and N2O.

N2O isn’t even on that, probably for a couple of reasons.

1) Average people don’t know what that is so it’s not worth bringing up.

2) Arable farming is an even bigger culprit of N2O and that would get in the way of the idea that alternate proteins are better than cows.

Unfortunately it always comes down to people don’t know what they don’t know.
 

Happy

Member
Location
Scotland
She’s not… radio interview from today


For anyone unable to access the link she is saying to LBC radio that we need more livestock in this country in order to improve soil health and use less artificial fertiliser.

About time.
Just over a week ago when she was on the BBC daily politics show her first response to defend meat production to the environmental and vegan panelist’s who had made their arguments was that meat was an essential part of a balanced diet and had very dense protein properties compared to many other foods.

That as your main argument in it’s defence is about 5 years out of date.
Environmental issue needs to be tackled head on with counter facts to bust the myths government and BBC have banded about as fact in recent years. Sadly they have gone unchallenged for so long they are now regarded as fact by most of the population😢
 

BrianV

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Dartmoor
She’s not… radio interview from today


For anyone unable to access the link she is saying to LBC radio that we need more livestock in this country in order to improve soil health and use less artificial fertiliser.
Isn’t this the problem instead of giving a clear message from day one she has continually given mixed messages just like Bozo has re COVID-1, unfortunately at a time of most need the NFU has elected the weakest leader so far!
 
why wouldn't she be ?

In fact anyone "of influence" in UK agriculture would be negligent if they were not doing so to gauge the opinion of the largest collection of farmers in the UK (regardless of if they like those opinions or not !)

Many years ago I recall at my entry interview for Harper Adams, I was asked questions about that weeks Farmers Weekly articles to check I was a reader, I guess they wanted to see my interest in the industry and ability to keep up with current affairs and opinions ? The forum is a far better version of that these days

I'm not sure that if I was a person "of influence" in UK Ag that I would read anything on TFF as all I would see is my name being dragged through the shite.
 

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