Farmers push back on EAT-Lancet red meat report findings

The Commission, made up of more than 40 academics from across the world, has published its most detailed analysis yet of global food systems. Its central message is stark. Without major changes in how we produce and consume food, the planet risks breaching its environmental limits.

Commission co-chair Johan Rockström claimed: “The report sets out the clearest guidance yet for feeding a growing population without breaching the safe operating space on Earth set by the planetary boundaries.”

Rob Haining(Image: )

Among its headline recommendations is a dramatic reduction in red meat consumption. The Commission proposes cutting average daily intake to just 14g, around one-fifth of the current NHS guideline of 70g. It also promotes a ‘planetary health diet’ high in plant-based foods, with only modest amounts of dairy and meat.

While these claims grabbed international headlines, farming organisations at home have dismissed the findings as detached from reality and damaging to both nutrition and rural livelihoods.

Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) warned that the Commission’s report takes a broad-brush approach that fails to reflect Scotland’s dietary needs or its world-class production systems.

QMS chair Kate Rowell was blunt in her assessment: “Whilst QMS considers the detail of the Commission’s report and the role we play in achieving shared aims for a sustainable and healthy food system, we are clear that a one-size-fits-all approach to diet does not work.

NFU president Tom Bradshaw says UK livestock systems are among the most sustainable in the world(Image: )

“The Commission’s theoretical diet slashes daily red meat intake to just 20% of the current UK NHS guideline and has not been tested in clinical trials, meaning we know nothing about the bioavailability of its nutrients.

“Red meat is a powerful contributor to health, rich in nutrients such as iron and selenium for immune function, B vitamins for energy, zinc for children’s growth, and vitamin D for bone density. Meat avoidance carries health risks, including deficiencies and over-reliance on poor-quality replacements and daily supplementation.”

Mx Rowell also stressed that average red meat consumption in Scotland is already below NHS guidelines, with Food Standards Scotland research showing women and girls in particular would risk worsening nutrient deficiencies if they cut further.

The Commission’s nutrition-focused co-chair, Professor Walter Willett of Harvard, insisted otherwise: “The Commission’s findings reinforce that the Planetary Health Diet is good for both people and the planet.”

The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) also took issue with the Commission’s characterisation of livestock farming as a major climate culprit.

NFU president Tom Bradshaw pointed out that UK beef production emissions are half the global average and that British livestock systems rely heavily on grass-based diets, unlike many intensive systems abroad.

“The British farming industry is recognised as one of the most efficient and sustainable in the world,” Mr Bradshaw said. “Our farmers are committed to producing food to high environmental and animal welfare standards, while continually innovating to improve efficiency, enhance biodiversity, manage soils and reduce emissions.”

Mr Bradshaw noted that UK agriculture contributes just 11% of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions, and much of that is offset by carbon stored in well-managed grasslands. “To suggest British livestock is a major driver of climate change simply isn’t accurate,” he added.

Farm leaders warn that reducing homegrown meat production could backfire, pushing consumers towards imports from countries with weaker welfare and environmental standards.

“Undermining our own farmers risks exporting emissions rather than reducing them,” Mr Bradshaw said. “It also jeopardises food security at a time when global supply chains are already under pressure from geopolitical tensions, extreme weather and price volatility.”

The Commission framed its findings in terms of fairness and justice, with co-chair Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted arguing: “Food is at the heart of both human well-being and planetary health.

“Right now, too many people who grow and process our food are underpaid and excluded from basic protections, while the environmental and health costs fall hardest on the most vulnerable.”

But farmers here say that line of criticism does not fit with the reality of British agriculture, which already operates under high welfare standards and supports rural economies.

The NFU highlighted that despite challenges, there are growth opportunities for UK agriculture, with global demand for high-quality, sustainably produced food continuing to rise.

The Lancet Commission’s findings may provide fuel for policymakers pushing plant-based agendas, but farming bodies are urging ministers to take a more balanced approach.

QMS and the NFU both emphasise that red meat produced in Scotland and the wider UK is not only part of the solution but central to a sustainable diet. Cattle and sheep grazing Scotland’s hillsides convert grass into high-quality protein, while supporting biodiversity and rural communities.

Farmers also stress that dietary shifts cannot ignore cultural traditions or nutritional realities. Scotland’s poor diet record is driven more by ultra-processed foods and low fruit and vegetable intake than by moderate red meat consumption, they argue.

Both organisations called on government to stand up for British farming in the face of international pressure.

“Producing food is becoming harder due to unpredictable weather, volatile prices and ongoing changes to farm support,” Mr Bradshaw said. “Confidence remains low. Farmers need the government to back us with clear, joined-up policies that strengthen resilience, productivity and profitability.”

Ms Rowell agreed, warning that farmers should not be ‘scapegoated’ for global climate challenges. “Scotland has some of the most sustainable livestock production in the world. That story needs to be told louder, not drowned out by theoretical diets designed in laboratories.”