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How Does the Farming and Meat Industry Really Work?

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Debunking Myths: A Farmer's Perspective on Meat Consumption

Welcome to an eye-opening exploration of meat consumption and farming practices, led by our fantastic guest blogger, Anna Truesdale - a dairy farmer in Northern Ireland. Join Anna as she uncovers the truth behind common misconceptions, examines the health benefits of meat, addresses environmental concerns, and seeks to bridge the gap between vegans and the farming industry.

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In the past couple of weeks, I’ve been the recipient of a few messages on Instagram regarding both meat eating and veganism and our consumption of meat. Many people are really intrigued about farming practices, asking engaging questions about the hows and whys in agriculture. I also think some people have misconceptions about the farming industry having a negative impact on the planet and our health, but I want to challenge this. 

This can be quite a contentious topic, but the idea of this isn’t to create a divide or argue one is right or wrong, it’s just to offer a different perspective from someone on the agricultural side. 

 

The Truth about British and Irish Farming 

So here’s the truth. We (as humans) breed animals, we kill animals, and we eat them. We use their hides, we use their bones. We’ve used animals in medicine, in clothing, we’ve even used them in our cars – and it’s allowed us to get to where we are today.

There’s a belief amongst evolutionary biologists that a diet rich in red meat was one of the reasons why our brain size (and intellect) increased compared to our plant-eating cousins – the primates. Without getting too caught up in the science of eating meat, Omega 3’s and Vitamin B12 are both essential for brain development and function and are both vastly available in red meat.

 

The Health Benefits of Eating Meat 

Meat and dairy have long been recognised as an important part of a balanced diet and a glass of milk contains 41% of your iodine requirement, 31% of your calcium, 14% of your protein and 74% of your Vitamin B12, whilst meat contributes to your protein, Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, Iron and Zinc. 

Although alternatives to meat and dairy have become more popular, consumers must maintain their intake of essential nutrients (of which both meat and dairy can provide). Again, I’m not here to tell you what you should and shouldn’t eat – merely pointing out the benefits of a balanced diet in which they are included.

As read on Farming UK, Professor Geoff Simm (University of Edinburgh) says, “even small amounts of animal-sourced food have a really important effect on the development of children, in the developing world, on their cognitive and physical development.”


Calves drinking milk from a yellow bucket on farm

Farming and Meat Consumption and its Effects on the Environment

Often, people decide to quit meat and change to a vegan diet because of environmental concerns around farming practices. Mainstream media loves to use farming as a scapegoat for a plethora of environmental issues. I’ll be careful here, as we all (farmers and non-farmers alike) need to get better at looking after our environment, but British and Irish agriculture is some of the most environmentally-friendly farming in the world. 

Our livestock systems are often grass-based, making use of ground that couldn’t otherwise be used in a food-producing capacity. Farmers adhere to strict guidelines and are subject to regular inspections to make sure we are taking all the necessary steps to produce food with as minimal effect on our surroundings as possible.   

We share more information on veganism and British farming in our separate blog post

 

Farmers Care About Their Livestock

Trust me, I do. And I’m not alone. Farmers are stewards, we’re custodians of the land and we’re caretakers of our livestock. We take great pride in the food that we produce and the way that we produce it. British and Irish farmers are held to some of the highest welfare standards in the world and that’s why we’re always encouraging people to buy local. 

As a farmer, it’s so frustrating to see evidence of poor welfare. We’re all a big team and personally, I can’t help but feel let down by the extremely small minority who perhaps don’t stick to the rules. I’m a big softie really (I think a lot of farmers are!), but when it comes to it, I’m happy that I’ve treated my animals with the respect that they deserve in life as well as in death.

 

Bridging the Gap Between Vegans and the Farming Industry

I hope you’ve found this post helpful, no matter what your beliefs are. We all know that the meat industry isn’t going away. Having said that, we should all work hard to fight against bad practices, like the mass production of meat. We can all agree that it’s both cruel and harmful to the environment. 

If you want to talk about farming practices, veganism, or anything else farm related, feel free to connect with me on social media - I love hearing from different people with a range of different views!

Cattle grazing on Anna Truesdale's Farm

Explore More with Us

Have you enjoyed learning more about British farming? If so, please head to over to our blog where we've been sharing lots of good stuff about farm life. 

Plus, we've got a huge range of farm clothing that is built for the great outdoors. Have a browse through our collections or get in touch with our friendly team for assistance.

 

Anna Truesdale is a passionate fourth-generation dairy farmer from County Down in Northern Ireland. She holds a First-Class honours degree in Agricultural Technology from Queens University in Belfast, but her heart lies in the hands-on, feet-in-the-mud agriculture which she grew up in and still works in today. Through her online platform, she loves educating those with limited knowledge of farming, as well as sharing insights and promoting sustainable practices in the agricultural industry.

2 comments

Shelagh Brownlow
Shelagh Brownlow

Well said.I live on a small family dairy farm our cows are out to grass as soon as possible East Lancashire has short summer’s and long wet winter’s only grass can be grown it is impossible to grow cereals or vegetables so we do our best.

Victoria Moule
Victoria Moule

Wow! Well said – please keep doing you do you- we need you more than ever. Thank you.

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