A leading rural campaigning organisation is urging Edinburgh City Council to ditch the ‘plant based treaty’ just a year from signing up for it.

The move comes after the local authority voted against using meat free menus as part of a motion to mark Veganuary.

The Countryside Alliance, which is leading a campaign against councils banning meat and dairy, has said the ‘common sense’ decision taken to reject plant-based lunches for councillors has ignited calls for the authority to go further and ‘right the wrongs of last year’ by withdrawing from the treaty.

READ MORE | Edinburgh Plant Based Treaty and farming in Scotland

In January 2023, Edinburgh became the first European capital to sign up for the vegan initiative, which could see it encouraging some half a million people to drop animal products from their plates. At the time, rural groups opposed the decision, describing it as an ‘attack’ on local farmers.

According to an assessment report carried out by council officials last year, signing the treaty, would 'create an expectation that the Council will refuse permission for any new animal farm or slaughterhouse within the city'.

Actions agreed already by the city council include ensuring council canteens “always include plant-based options including plant-based milk” and allowing pupils to “take any fresh (uncooked) left-overs from the counter back home at the end of the day to reduce food waste”.

On Tuesday, an addendum tabled by the Green Party for catering at February’s full Edinburgh Council meeting to be all plant-based was backed by the SNP however was voted down by Labour, Conservative and Lib Dem members.

Conservative councillor Phil Doggart said he was worried this would mean members would not be able to enjoy the pies usually provided “which I know most of us love”.

READ MORE | City of Edinburgh Council changes its policy for meat on menus

He said: “It would be a great hardship for many of us. Highlight of the month, because I certainly don’t get a pie at home.”

Following the vote, Lib Dem group leader Kevin Lang said on X councillors were “through the looking glass”.

He wrote: “We have a housing emergency, a cost-of-living crisis, and a multi-million pound black hole facing the council…and we literally spent time today at committee debating what the council should be served for lunch next month.”

Mo Metcalf- Fisher, Director of External Affairs for the Countryside Alliance said: “ Councillors are obviously right to reject any attempt to deprive citizens of choice when it comes to food provided by the authority.

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“There is no justification for undermining the efforts of livestock farming in Scotland or anywhere in the UK- which is among the most sustainable in the world- by banning meat and dairy from menus.”

He added: “We urge Edinburgh City councillors to now right the wrongs of last year and unsubscribe from the plant-based treaty completely and pledge its support for sourcing local, seasonal produce- including meat and dairy- instead. Doing so will signal Edinburgh City Council’s support for farmers and freedom of choice”.

Dorset, Fenland, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Cornwall, and North Northamptonshire councils have already voted in favour of the Alliance’s alternative motion to the Plant Based Treaty – all of which have now pledged to source local meat, dairy and plant-based produce at council-run events.