Vegan 'dictatorship' move sparks council tractor protest

Dozens of livestock farmers turned up to a council meeting in tractors to protest against a "plant based food dictatorship".

Forest of Dean District Council met at its Coleford offices on Thursday night to discuss a move to encourage vegan food.

Vegan councillor Jacob Sanders said global greenhouse gas emissions from animal-based foods are twice those of plant-based foods.

Expressing his concerns, Lydney farmer Richard Morgan said nature "is just going to collapse" if there was a move towards plant-based farming.

About 35 farmers voiced their strong opposition to the motion, which encourages a plant-based diet in line with the climate emergency objectives adopted by the council in 2018.

The proposal called on council leaders to ensure clearly advertised plant-based options are available at council-catered events and meetings, the Local Democracy Reporting Service reports.

“To this end, the council will seek to inform, educate and persuade,” the motion read.

“And set up a task group to invite experts to promote replacement of animal products with sustainable plant-based food in the Forest.”

Richard Morgan, a farmer from Lydney, said before the meeting that a move towards plant-based farming would put his livelihood at risk.

“Everyone should have their own choice,” he said.

“You shouldn’t be dictated as to what you are allowed to eat and not.

"It’s all about a balanced and healthy diet and a balance for the environment.

“We all know if you take out the animal side of it, nature is just going to collapse.”

Several Conservative and Independent councillors made calls for the original motion to be withdrawn.

Conservative councillor for Tidenham, Nick Evans, suggested the council encouraged a balanced and varied diet of food produced by local farmers and organisations.

He also proposed working with the farming community to examine opportunities to diversity their business in the interests of sustainability.

His amendment was accepted by Mr Sanders and his seconder, Patrick Kyne, who made it clear he supported the motion but is not vegan.

Trevor Roach, Green councillor for Mitcheldean, Ruardean and Drybrook, said he would support the motion after it was refined, but emphasised that working with the farming community is what it’s all about.

“You’ve certainly kept things focused for us all,” he told farmers at the meeting. “When it comes to food it’s you lot we depend on so we need to work together.

“I fully appreciate the economic challenges the farmers have had to endure with the current trend in global trading policies that clobber farmers wherever they can. We’ve got to look at local produce for local people.”

The council voted to approve the motion by 26 votes in favour to four against with two abstentions.

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