2 CRAFTBUTCHER l SEPTEMBER 2019


CLIMATE CHANGE COMMENT


It’s great when the industry gets it right particularly with young people and training.


For as long as most of us can remember there has been something of a crisis in getting younger people into butchery. Undoubtedly, the popularity in recent years of celebrity chefs and TV cookery programmes has stimulated an appetite and thirst amongst consumers for knowledge about food. Causing many young people not in education, employment or training to opt into courses and further education involving food, including butchery.


Accepting that university isn’t for everyone and pushing more vocational training. Government, with a Chancellor providing more funding to colleges for further education is both great news and timely as the latest consultation results are announced on butchery ‘trailblazer’ apprenticeships.


After just five years it’s now confirmed that Butchery ‘Trailblazer’ apprenticeships are well received, applauded and are respected as much outside as inside the industry - An accolade for which everyone involved can be proud of! n


ROGER KELSEY Editor


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Editor ROGER KELSEY roger@nationalcraſtbutchers.co.uk


Deputy Editor JAYNE COTTRELL jayne@nationalcraſtbutchers.co.uk


Craſt Butcher is published 10 times a year by National Craſt Butchers and is circulated to over 1100 businesses in the UK


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NEW REPORT IS GOOD NEWS FOR CRAFT BUTCHERS


Last month’s major IPCC report on climate change certainly made the news. Billed as the first comprehensive study of the land-climate system on a global level. The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, based in Geneva influences government policy across the world.


As is becoming the norm these days, a lot of the initial media reaction to the study had an anti-meat bias.


You may recall some of the headlines such as: • “Plant-based diet can fight climate change” (BBC News) • “Eat less meat to save the planet” (Daily Mail) • “People should adopt a plant-based diet to prevent climate change” (Daily Telegraph) • “Eat healthier and you’ll save the planet” (CNN News)


All bad news for the meat industry. EXCEPT, frustratingly, the report did not actually say any of these things. In fact, it was at pains to say that it was not recommending a vegan diet at all. The IPCC recognised the important role that meat and meat products play in a balanced diet. And, when produced sustainably, in low-greenhouse-gas-emission systems, like the UK's, is


actually part of the solution to climate change.


What many of the UK based media also failed to grasp was that the report is completely global in its scope and therefore included intensive grain-fed livestock farming systems from other parts of the world where deforestation is also often an issue. It is estimated for example that beef production in the UK is up to three times more carbon-efficient than the global average.


The report also proposed the adoption of farming practices that work with nature rather than forcing production with over-use of artificial fertilisers. It went on to say that balanced diets featuring plant-based foods, such as coarse grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables, and meat produced sustainably in low greenhouse gas-emission systems presents “major opportunities” for adaptation to and limiting of climate change.


The report is long (1400 pages) and complicated. Hopefully the more positive aspects will now start to filter through to counter the original knee-jerk and misleading headlines.


Professor Nigel Scollan


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THE LEVY BODIES National Craft Butchers has often criticised the levy bodies in the past for not doing more to support the industry against the anti-meat agenda. To their credit this time they were quick off the mark to respond. First up was AHDB Beef & Lamb who released an excellent comment from Professor Nigel Scollan, Institute for Global Food Security, who said: “farming has the capacity to both source and store greenhouse gases. Recognising the importance of soil health, there is much potential for farming to deliver carbon neutral systems by continued focus on reducing emissions and sequestering more carbon in our land, trees and grasslands.


“The UK has further opportunity to be a global leader in farming systems,


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