Ten recent news items from the national press that have caught my attention …
The National food strategy [1a], an independent review for government, was published in July, recommending healthy diets containing more fruit and vegetables, and focusing on improving the diets of children. A well researched and lengthy report.
It also documented many problems associated with meat and dairy diets. For instance:
Intensive agriculture has had a devastating effect on biodiversity
Plant-based proteins produce 70 times less greenhouse gas emissions than an equivalent amount of beef, and use 150 times less land
It is very encouraging to see that the report recognises the benefits of increasing the plant-based proportion of diets but seems somewhat unambitious recommending a cut back on meat consumption by 30% over the next ten years [1b].
This averages 2.65% per year, and introduces one meat free day into the week’s diet every five years!
Will The National Food Strategy help tackle climate change? [1c]
The government has yet to decide how much of the report it will act on.
Eating a plant-rich diet helps to protect against COVID-19 – the conclusion of a 600,000 participant survey by the ZOE Covid Sympton Study and Kings College, London. [2]
Co-op cuts price of plant-based foods and drinks [3]
Michelin-star chef turns Soho restaurant vegan. [4]
Alexis Gauthier, a Michelin-star French chef, has turned his Soho brasserie Gauthier 100% vegan.
Great to see that the best chefs know that the best food can be plant-based
Controversial amendment 171 withdrawn from EU – an attempt by the dairy industry to stop Milk and Dairy free products putting ‘Milk and Dairy free’ on their labels has been thwarted. [5]
The new Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill. [6a]
Octopuses and lobsters have feelings – include them in sentience bill, urge MPs
Boiling Lobsters Alive can soon be banned in the UK – part of its new Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill. [6b]
Free From Food Award Winners 2021 – a great source of information on quality innovative vegan products [7]
Chickens died of thirst and dead birds left to rot at suppliers to Tesco, Sainsbury, Lidl and KFC [8]
The three sites were all approved by Red Tractor, which says it guarantees animals have been well cared for.
Guarantees?
An Opportunity to Invest in Meatless Farm whose products are available at Sainsbury’s and many other outlets. [9]
Note, this is a Convertible Round where share values are decided and shares issued at a future date.
Redefine Meat Announces Commercial Launch of its First Ever 3D Printed ‘New-Meat’ Series [10]
It will be fascinating to see how the alt-meat market develops
[1a] https://www.nationalfoodstrategy.org
[1b] https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/meat-eating-health-climate-nature-b1884223.html
[1c] https://www.carbonbrief.org/qa-will-englands-national-food-strategy-help-tackle-climate-change
[2] https://health-study.zoe.com/post/eating-a-plant-rich-diet-helps-to-protect-against-covid-19
[3] https://www.co-operative.coop/media/news-releases/co-op-tackles-plant-based-price-gap-with-industry-first-commitment
[4] https://www.veganfoodandliving.com/news/michelin-starred-chef-soho-restaurant-vegan
[5] https://www.euronews.com/green/2021/05/28/cheesed-off-controversial-amendment-171-withdrawn-from-eu
[6a] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/18/octopuses-and-lobsters-have-feelings-include-them-in-sentience-bill-urge-mps
[6b] https://plantbasednews.org/culture/law/boiling-lobsters-alive-uk
[7] https://www.freefromfoodawards.co.uk/2021-winners
[8a] https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/chicken-tesco-sainsbury-sainsbury-kfc-lidl-aldi-welfare-b1893070.html
[8b] https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/red-tractor
[9] https://vegankind.com/mag/you-can-now-invest-in-meatless-farm-through-crowdcube-campaign
[10] https://vegconomist.com/printed-technology/redefine-meat-announces-commercial-launch-of-its-first-ever-3d-printed-new-meat-series
