Written by Lydia Turner
In a recent episode of the BBC’s Blue Peter environmentalist Matthew Shribman, stated: “Scientists have recently worked out that eating meat is one of the biggest things causing climate change. Reducing the amount of meat you eat, especially beef and lamb, is known to be even better for the climate than reducing the amount you travel in a car.”
The comment along with the promoting of the Blue Peter Green Badge that suggests viewers can replace one or two meals a week with a vegetarian alternative as part of the ‘supersize’ pledge, has stirred up controversy in the British Meat industry.
The AHDB, QMS and HCC responded to the episode with an open letter which stated, “This unbalanced reporting risks compromising the integrity of the red meat produced in the UK to the consumers of the future”. You can read the letter in full here.
Farm Business approached the BBC for a comment to which they responded:
“We are not asking Blue Peter viewers to give up meat. That was made clear both on the show and on our website which has been updated to reflect that buying seasonal food or local grass-fed meat can also make a difference to climate change. There are also other pledge options to choose from to earn a Green badge such as switching off lights or using reusable water bottles.”
The vegetarian option is part of the ‘supersize’ pledge which groups undertake. Kids can still receive their badges individually but even as a group they don’t have to choose the vegetarian meals swap, they can choose alternative options and still receive a badge.
This week (15.4.21) Blue Peter will feature a film with Welsh farmers exploring sustainable farming for future generations.
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