If you would like to challenge the misinformation shared in The Agricultural and Horticultural Development Board’s new report about dairy, writing a letter to the editor of your local newspaper can be a really effective way to do so. You can contact your local paper to find out the right e-mail address to the letters’ desk, and use the template below as a guide. Personalised letters are always best, and if there are any local ‘hooks’ in your area – such as a local polluted river due to a dairy farm – these are especially powerful. Do get in touch if your letter gets published, we would love to know!

Dairy: a nutritional and sustainable food group or unnecessary and unethical?

The Agricultural and Horticultural Development Board (AHDB) has recently published a new report about dairy, focusing on both the ‘nutritional benefit’ for humans and the ‘improvements’ the industry is making in terms of sustainability. It is clear that the AHDB’s agenda is focused on marketing and promotion – and quite in contradiction to the growing bank of evidence which tells us that dairy is not essential for good health and its production is hugely damaging to the environment.

Although dairy is a source of certain essential nutrients, it is not required in the diet at any life stage. This was recently reiterated by the UK’s Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition and the Eat-Lancet Commission. Additionally, dairy is not suitable for 60-70% of the world’s population (mainly non-White people) who are lactose intolerant. This is one of the reasons why dairy was removed as a food group from  Canada’s dietary guidelines in 2019, to be inclusive of all cultures and ethnicities.

Health impacts

Research suggests that consuming dairy can have negative health effects including:

• Raising blood cholesterol, due to the saturated fat content – increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke
• Increased risk of acne
• Bloating, diarrhoea and abdominal pain as a result of lactose intolerance
• Increased risk of prostate cancer and cancer mortality
• Serious allergic reactions to cow’s milk protein

Due to clever marketing, the predominant reason many believe dairy is necessary is because of claims that it is beneficial to bone health – but there is no scientific evidence that obtaining calcium from dairy improves bone health, reduces the risk of osteoporosis or prevents fractures.  For good bone health, humans need to engage in weight-bearing exercise throughout the life course whilst also consuming a wide array of nutrients that can easily be obtained from a well-planned plant-based diet.

In fact, we have a healthier alternative. Randomised studies have shown soya beverages, even with added sugar, have benefits for cardiometabolic health compared to dairy. Swapping cow’s milk for soya milk could reduce the risk of breast cancer by up to 32% and prostate cancer by up to 70%. Additionally, ‘typical nutrient’ soya, oat, almond drinks may contribute to lower intakes of energy and saturated fat and higher intakes of dietary fibre and vitamin D.

Despite some research showing that fermented dairy products appears to show lower rates of cancer risk in women, this may be due to the absence of metabolites and compounds within the fermented dairy products that is linked to cancer such as IGF-1 and milk sugars such as lactose.

However when we look at dairy alternatives such as soy milk, we see significant reductions in total cancer incidence by as much as 25% (just under one third).

Furthermore, research indicates that calcium from appropriately fortified plant-based dairy alternatives, particularly those fortified with calcium carbonate – such as most soya drinks within the UK (85%) – can have comparable bioavailability to cow’s milk. In some plant foods with low oxalate content, calcium may even be absorbed more efficiently – as is the case with most legumes, fortified breads and cereals. This is despite claims from the report that plant-based dairy alternatives are often less bioavailable.

Environmental impacts

The AHDB report also claims that dairy farming in the UK can support net zero targets. In reality, farming animals contributes two-thirds of agricultural greenhouse gas emissions in the UK, with the majority from farming cows and sheep. Methane emissions from cows is a particular concern given it is a more potent gas than carbon dioxide. Without taking drastic measures to reduce these emissions, the UK will not be able to achieve its international climate commitments.

Farming cows also drives water pollution through slurry runoff (with many dairy farms falling short of water safety standards) and requires large areas of land which would offer far greater environmental benefits if restored and rewilded to natural landscapes such as peatlands, woodlands and varied ecosystems. Overgrazing can compound biodiversity issues by reducing the variation of hedgerows and wildflowers which many insects, birds and small mammals rely on. The use of synthetic fertilisers to increase grass yield can further damage soil microbial diversity (and contribute to additional greenhouse gas emissions such as nitrous oxide).

Intensive dairy-farming, which focuses on the maximum output of cows’ milk, often relies on extensive monocultures such as maize grown for feeding the cows. These simplified systems can accelerate soil degradation, increase erosion and drive biodiversity loss.

It is unsurprising therefore that the Climate Change Committee (CCC) has recommended a 20% reduction in dairy consumption by 2035 and a greater emphasis on plant-based alternatives.  All plant-based dairy alternatives have a lower environmental impact when compared to dairy from cows.

Ethical concerns

The production of dairy is also unethical. Female cows are kept in a near-constant cycle of pregnancy and birth in order to keep up their milk ‘supply’. Cows – just like humans – produce milk because it is needed for their young. To prevent calves from drinking the milk intended for them, they are separated from their mothers within 24 to 48 hours after birth. This separation causes undeniable suffering for both mother and calf. The strain that modern-milk supply places on dairy cows’ bodies leads to a host of health issues including lameness, mastitis and metabolic exhaustion. When a dairy cow is no longer deemed to be profitable, she will likely be slaughtered.

In May 2024, our open-letter to DEFRA and the AHDB – which challenged the AHDB’s “Let’s Eat Balanced” campaign – was signed by a huge range of organisations representing more than 1 million healthcare professionals. It is clear that the many healthcare professionals and bodies are realising the benefits of shifting towards plant-based alternatives.

25th June 2025

Open Letter to:

The Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer, Prime Minister

The Rt Hon Daniel Zeichner, MP, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The Rt Hon Wes Streeting, MP, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care

Dear Sir Keir Starmer, Mr Wes Streeting and Mr Daniel Zeichner,

Subject: Concerns Regarding Representation on the National Food Strategy Advisory Board

As healthcare professionals and environmental experts committed to the well-being of the public and the sustainability of our planet, we feel compelled to express our deep concern regarding the recent announcement of the new National Food Strategy Advisory Board.

While we acknowledge the importance of involving a range of stakeholders in shaping the UK’s food policy, it is profoundly troubling to see that the composition of the board is heavily weighted with representatives from the food and agribusiness industries, while lacking sufficient voices from public health, nutrition, climate and environmental science and resource management communities.

Of the panel’s 11 independent members (i.e. excluding the minister and officials), eight are from the food industry. Just one farmer is included – an intensive pig farmer -, and one expert in nutrition (Prof Susan Jebb). Among the food industry figures are Tim Smith, chairman of Cranswick, a company whose controversial plans for a factory farm in Norfolk housing 14,000 pigs and 700,000 chickens have been rejected by the local council. More than 12,000 objections and a 43,000-signature petition were submitted in opposition to the plan.

The decisions made by this board will have far-reaching consequences, not only for the food system itself but for the health of the nation and the future of our environment. Diet-related diseases, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers, continue to place an enormous burden on our healthcare system and economy. At the same time, the food system is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss, with significant implications for planetary health and future generations.

A National Food Strategy must reflect these realities. Without strong, independent expertise there is a significant risk that the strategy will prioritise short-term industry interests over long-term public health and environmental sustainability, negatively impacting food security and resilience and continuing to widen the inequity in access and affordability of healthy, nutritious food.

We urge DEFRA to:

1. Reconsider the current makeup of the National Food Strategy Advisory Board.
2. Ensure balanced representation by including independent public health experts, dietitians, healthcare professionals, environmental scientists, farmers and climate policy specialists.
3. Commit to transparency in how board members are selected and how decisions are made.

As healthcare professionals and environmental experts, we stand ready to contribute constructively to this process. We respectfully ask that you take immediate steps to address this imbalance and ensure that health and environmental considerations are placed at the heart of the UK’s National Food Strategy.

Yours sincerely,

UK Health Alliance on Climate Change, Greener Practice, Doctors Association UK, Plant-Based Health Professionals UK, Medact, Parents for Future, The Climate Psychology Alliance, British Society of Haematology, British Society of Lifestyle Medicine, XR Psychologists, Health for Extinction Rebellion, Scientists for Extinction Rebellion, Extinction Rebellion Educators, Foodrise (formerly Feedback Global), Psychiatry Declares,The Climate and Health Scorecard Initiative, Pharmacy Declares.

Plant Based Health Professionals Join Chris Packham in Protest Against Defra’s Food Strategy Panel

By Campaign Manager Sarah Bentley

Last week Plant-Based Health Professionals UK (PBHP) stood alongside environmental campaigner Chris Packham outside the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) in London. Holding a banner that read “People and Planet Over Profit,” we were there to protest the government’s deeply flawed approach to shaping the future of the nation’s food.

The protest was in response to Defra’s announcement of its new Food Strategy Advisory Panel—a body overwhelmingly dominated by food industry representatives, with minimal input from health or environmental experts. Of the 11 independent members, eight hail from industry, while no environmental organisations were given a seat at the table.

Chris Packham said, “The government sneaked out a Friday afternoon announcement that the much-vaunted new food strategy will be overseen by a body stuffed with food industry figures, including Cranswick, the corporation behind controversial megafarm applications in Norfolk. There are no environmental groups represented. This is a terrible start to a process that’s critically important to our future as a country. We need a radical overhaul of a broken food system that’s making people ill and punishing our environment, but there’s little sign that the government is interested in that.”

Among the food industry figures on the panel is Tim Smith, chairman of Cranswick—a company currently facing fierce opposition over its plans for a factory farm in Norfolk that would house 14,000 pigs and 700,000 chickens. The proposal has been met with 12,000 objections and a petition with over 43,000 signatures.

Dr. Shireen Kassam, founder of PBHP, whizzed up to London to attend the swiftly organised protest to make PBHP’s voice heard.

“The food strategy, if implemented, will shape the way we farm and eat for decades to come. It will directly impact food security, access to nutritious food, and our ability to meet climate and nature targets. It will also affect the NHS, as unhealthy diets are a leading cause of chronic disease and premature death. An advisory board dominated by the food industry and intensive animal farming will not be able to give independent advice due to obvious conflicts of interest.”

Dr. LJ Smith, also representing for PBHP’s, echoed Dr Kassam’s concerns, highlighting the broader implications of the government’s approach:

“Food is central to the nation’s health, our countryside, and our response to the climate crisis. We already had an independent, evidence-based National Food Strategy in 2021, but its 14 recommendations have been ignored. Instead, Defra has appointed a panel dominated by industry interests. Prof Chris Whitty and Anna Taylor will have their work cut out trying to advocate for health and sustainability when they are substantially outnumbered by factory farmers and corporate executives.”

This protest was about demanding better and demanding change. Our food system is broken, and government policy must make bold decisions that prioritise public health and environmental sustainability, not corporate profits. A strategy that ignores the devastating health and environmental consequences of industrial farming is not a strategy for the future.

At PBHP, we believe that a sustainable, plant-based food system is key to addressing the health and environmental crises we face. That’s why we’re calling on the government to develop and deliver a Plant Based Food Action plan as part of the National Food Strategy.

Watch the video of the action outside DEFRA

As an organisation, we have been pushing the Government and the NHS to act upon the evidence and urgently support the UK to transition to a plant-based food environment where plant-based meals are considered the norm. In the last year, we have increased our efforts given the continued misinformation from the meat and dairy industry. These efforts have primarily been directed towards the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), and their ‘Let’s Eat Balanced’ campaign that promotes the consumption of red meat and dairy. The campaign messaging is counter to the overwhelming scientific evidence that shows the need for the UK and other high incomes countries to dramatically reduce the consumption of meat and dairy in order to meet their nature and climate targets. By adopting more plant-based diets, we could lower the environmental impact of the British diet by as much as 75%. Farming cows and other ruminant animals for food is just not compatible with a sustainable future.

Back in May 2024, Doctors Association UK and Plant-Based Health Professionals UK wrote an open letter to both the AHDB and Defra (Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs) asking them to reconsider the campaign and instead promote the consumption of fruit and vegetables. Responses from both organisations were wholly unsatisfactory, although we are still in the process of organising a meeting with the AHDB. Instead, we have seen the campaign return in October 2024 and now January 2025. The annual January launch appears to be timed to counter the enormously successful Veganuary campaign, with more and more people adopting a plant-based diet.

In October 2024 we sent a private letter, along with Feedback and the Vegan Society, to Daniel Zeichtner, MP (Minister of State for Food Security and Rural Affairs), and Defra to request a meeting, along with a public statement of disapproval. The request to meet was declined. Defra appears to take no responsibility for the actions of the AHDB, stating that the AHDB represents farmers and is funded by levy payers. This is despite the fact that the AHDB’s website states the ‘Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) acts as AHDB’s ‘sponsor’ Government department. The AHDB Accounting Officer is accountable to Defra Ministers and Devolved Administrations on the appropriate use of levy funds and corporate governance standards applicable to public bodies’. There is clear evidence to show that the Let’s Eat Balanced Campaign in January 2024 and the associated spend of 5 million pounds on adverts was signed off by a Defra minister. The Government’s own Climate Change Committee, in their 2024 report to Parliament stated (p.82), ‘The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, an arm’s length body of the Government, continues to invest in proactive marketing campaigns to encourage meat and dairy consumption, despite the evidence showing that a reduction in meat and dairy consumption supports a shift towards low-carbon, sustainable and healthy diets’.

The open letter’s support of healthcare organisations representing over one million healthcare professionals adds powerful backing to the scientific evidence showing we need to reduce meat and dairy consumption. In the UK, 70% of farming emissions are generated by the production of red meat and dairy. At the same time, farming animals for food is contributing significantly to the pollution of our land, waterways and air, whilst driving the creation and spread of antibiotic-resistant infections. There is widespread recognition from the healthcare profession that the climate crisis is a health crisis since we cannot enjoy good health whilst there is continued destruction of our planet’s health. Fortunately, transitioning to a plant-based diet can support better population and planetary health.

The low consumption of fruit, vegetables, whole grains and legumes is a major contributor to the poor quality of the British diet. Unhealthy diets in turn are causing a rising burden of chronic ill health resulting in a cost of £268 billion annually in the UK, through both direct and indirect health-related impacts. Although the AHDB continues to fall back on the argument that its campaigns align with UK’s dietary guidelines, nowhere do they inform people about the limits set in the Eatwell guide for consumption of red meat, which should not exceed 70g per day due to detrimental health impacts.

It should be noted that the Eatwell Guide, written in 2016, did not formally consider environmental sustainability. In the meantime, we have had a number of new national dietary guidelines from countries in Europe such as Denmark, Germany, Spain and Nordic recommendations, that clearly advise consumers to limit the consumption of meat, especially red meat, and instead prioritise plant sources of protein given its positive impact on health and lower environmental impacts. In addition, dairy is not considered essential in the diet, with Health Canada’s dietary guideline from 2019 removing dairy as a separate food group. The Eat Lancet Planetary Health Diet sets recommended intakes at 0-500mg per day, thus acknowledging that zero is an acceptable level of intake.

Although our recent focus has been the AHDB’s ‘Let’s Eat Balanced campaign’, there are many other examples of campaigns that do not align with the evidence on healthy sustainable diets. This includes the ‘when you know you know’ campaign from Quality Meat Scotland that ‘shines a spotlight on the role of Scotch Beef, Scotch Lamb, and Specially Selected Pork’, and again from the AHDB with their Milk Every Moment campaign, promoting consumption of milk in Universities along with their campaign partner British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUSC).

Support for our open letter comes from high profile organisations and individuals that represent the health, climate and animal sectors, including Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, UK Health Alliance on Climate Change, Chris Packham, Dale Vince and Dr Amir Khan. This demonstrates just how out of touch the Government is with civil society groups that are dedicated to protecting people and the planet.

Take action now to combat AHDB’s misinformation:

1. Write directly to AHDB, Defra, and your MP
2. Read and share our evidence-backed open letter widely (including references)
3. Demand your MP support the promotion of healthy, sustainable plant-based foods
4. Join our growing movement of organisations and individuals calling for evidence-based food policy

Together, we can create the change needed for a healthier, more sustainable food system.

Open letter to the European Commission regarding EU promotion of meat and dairy

Written by Rohini Bajekal, communication lead for PBHP UK

Plant Based Health Professionals UK, an organisation of over 800 health professionals, are welcoming the Commission’s aim to review the agricultural promotion policy “with a view to enhancing its contribution to sustainable production and consumption, and in line with the shift to a more plant-based diet, with less red and processed meat and more fruit and vegetables.^[1]

We are therefore urging the Commission to ensure a positive outcome of this review improving the public health of European citizens by ending the promotion of meat and dairy, and investing in the promotion of healthy sustainable plant-based diets.

Promoting animal-based diets poses tremendous risks to public health

Unhealthy diets are now responsible for 1 in 5 deaths globally every year, around 11 millions deaths in total, making this a leading risk factor for chronic disease, disability and death.^[2] Poor diets are major risk factors contributing to the rise in obesity, cardiovascular disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes and dementia. In the EU, the average consumption of red meat exceeds recommendations, while the intake of plant-based foods such as legumes or vegetables is insufficient, as laid out in the Commission’s Farm to Fork strategy.^[3]

Promote healthy diets EU wide and beyond

Eating a plant-based diet refers to eating a diet that consists of fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds, with few or no animal products. Plant-based diets are abundant in nutrients such as fibre, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that are often lacking in the standard Western diet. They are low in saturated fat, predominately found in animal-derived foods. Replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fat improves health outcomes and reduces mortality.

Eating a plant-based diet has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of our commonest chronic diseases, whilst helping you live a longer and healthier life. For example, a healthy plant-based diet reduces the risk of coronary heart disease by 25%^[4], cancer by 15%^[5], type 2 diabetes by at least 50%^[6] and helps you maintain a healthy weight throughout your life^[7]. Plant-based diets are not only optimal for disease prevention but can also be used to treat established illness in conjunction with conventional medical treatments. A 100% whole food plant-based diet has been shown to be extremely useful for weight loss^[8], heart disease^[9], type 2 diabetes^[10] and much more.

The impact of a plant-based diet is such that national and international guidelines now recommend plant-based diets for prevention of cardiovascular disease^[11], cancer^[12] and the treatment of type 2 diabetes^[13]. Major dietetic organisations around the world, including the British Dietetic Association in the UK have confirmed that a well-planned vegan diet can meet nutritional requirements for all stages of life from birth through to old age^[14].

Considering the proven negative impacts of diets containing meat and dairy, it is vital the Commission stops the promotion of such products. Instead, the Commission should take their aim to promote the shift towards plant-based diets seriously.

^[1] European Commission. EU farm and food products – review of policy on promotion inside and outside the EU. 2021. https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/12782-EU-farm-and-food-products-review-of-policy-on-promotion-inside-and-outside-the-EU

^[2] EAT-Lancet. EAT-Lancet Commission Summary Report.https://eatforum.org/eat-lancet-commission/eat-lancet-commission-summary-report/

^[3] European Commission. A Farm to Fork Strategy for a fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly food system, 2020. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/resource.html?uri=cellar:ea0f9f73-9ab2-11ea-9d2d-01aa75ed71a1.0001.02/DOC_1&format=PDF

^[4] Satija A, Bhupathiraju SN, Spiegelman D, et al. Healthful and Unhealthful Plant-Based Diets and the Risk of Coronary Heart Disease in U.S. Adults. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2017;70(4):411-422. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2017.05.047

^[5] Dinu M, Abbate R, Gensini GF, Casini A, Sofi F. Vegetarian, vegan diets and multiple health outcomes: A systematic review with meta-analysis of observational studies. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2017;57(17):3640-3649. doi:10.1080/10408398.2016.1138447

^[6] Tonstad S, Butler T, Yan R, Fraser GE. Type of vegetarian diet, body weight, and prevalence of type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2009;32(5):791-796. doi:10.2337/dc08-1886

^[7] Satija A, Malik V, Rimm EB, Sacks F, Willett W, Hu FB. Changes in intake of plant-based diets and weight change: results from 3 prospective cohort studies. Am J Clin Nutr. 2019;110(3):574-582. doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqz049

^[8] Wright, N., Wilson, L., Smith, M. et al. The BROAD study: A randomised controlled trial using a whole food plant-based diet in the community for obesity, ischaemic heart disease or diabetes. Nutr & Diabetes 7, e256 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/nutd.2017.3

^[9] Ornish D, Scherwitz LW, Billings JH, et al. Intensive Lifestyle Changes for Reversal of Coronary Heart Disease. JAMA. 1998;280(23):2001–2007. doi:10.1001/jama.280.23.2001

^[10] Barnard ND, Cohen J, Jenkins DJ, et al. A low-fat vegan diet and a conventional diabetes diet in the treatment of type 2 diabetes: a randomized, controlled, 74-wk clinical trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009;89(5):1588S-1596S. doi:10.3945/ajcn.2009.26736H

^[11] Arnett K, Blumenthal R et al. 2019 ACC/AHA Guideline on the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines. 2019;140:e596–e646. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000678

^[12] Thomson Rock C, Thomson C et al. American Cancer Society guideline for diet and physical activity for cancer prevention. CA. 2020;70(4): 245-271. doi:10.3322/caac.21591

^[13] Kelly J, Karlsen M et al. Type 2 Diabetes Remission and Lifestyle Medicine: A Position Statement From the American College of Lifestyle Medicine. 2020;14(4):406-419. doi:10.1177/1559827620930962

^[14] BDA. British Dietetic Association confirms well-planned vegan diets can support healthy living in people of all ages. 2017. https://www.bda.uk.com/resource/british-dietetic-association-confirms-well-planned-vegan-diets-can-support-healthy-living-in-people-of-all-ages.htm l

Click here to download the open letter to the European Commission regarding EU promotion of meat and dairy.

An open letter to the Secretary of State for Health and Social care calls for a public health campaign on climate and ecology

Protecting public health from the risks caused by the climate and ecological crises must be at the centre of government policy and action

Click here to read the letter, published in the BMJ.

​

We are proud to be supporting this important legal challenge.

Please do donate to the crowd funder if you are able.

Our factory farm legal challenge is now live ! The team of volunteers really needs your help – we have Michael Mansfield- an absolutely top QC – taking a legal challenge to the Government. We want factory farms closed down. It is an essential ask to protect people from disease, animals from cruelty and the planet. Nothing has been done like this before but we can’t do it without donations.

Please please please donate if you can and share. Thank you! www.crowdjustice.com/case/scrapfactoryfarming or via Paypal on https://www.scrapfactoryfarming.org/campaign/

Open Letter to NHS Leaders and the UK Government, May 28th 2020

UPDATE: We’ve received responses from the four nation governments we contacted. Read their responses below.

England – Response from Jo Churchill, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Prevention, Public Health and Primary Care

Northern Ireland – Response to open letter from CMO Michael McBride

Scotland – Response to NHS letter

Wales – Response to NHS letter

If you’re part of the NHS and want to add your support, please follow this link.

Watch the video below:

We, NHS doctors and staff, are writing to urge NHS leaders and the Government to pass bold post-COVID-19 legislation to allow for rapid, nationwide changes to the obesogenic and unsustainable food environment in which we currently live. This environment has added to the UK’s COVID-19 pandemic death toll.

As healthcare professionals we are concerned that business will restart as usual after the pandemic. It is not acceptable that the NHS is collapsing under the burden of chronic diseases, the majority of which could be prevented and treated by addressing diet and lifestyle factors. We are willing to take on the task of shifting the NHS focus from a reactive healthcare system to one that promotes health and prevents chronic illness. However, this action needs to be fully embraced by NHS leaders and the Government, who should now place the nation’s long term health at the centre of their policy.

The proposed changes include:

1. Further taxation and cessation of subsidies for junk food/fast foods/soft drinks producers as well as industrial animal farming.
2. Ban on junk food advertising and any market manipulations which aim to increase consumption of unhealthy, processed foods or drinks.
3. Subsidies to support the UK population in adopting a predominantly whole food plant based diet for both human and planetary health.
4. Promotion of a plant-based food system through the adoption of Conservation Agriculture (No-Till) systems to lower carbon emissions and reduce the risk of entering a ‘post-antibiotic era’.
5. Protection of the oceans by discouraging over-fishing and reducing the reliance on fish consumption, finding alternate sources of long-chain omega-3 fats.
6. Showcase healthy, sustainable eating through public sector catering in schools, hospitals and prisons.

Background:

Three in four of the world’s new or emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic and are mainly transmitted through wildlife trade and factory farming.

The provision for the increasing demand for cheap meat is hugely contributing to environmental degradation and the rise of antibiotic resistance.

90% of global wild fish stocks have been over-fished or fished at capacity. Farmed fish are contaminated with antibiotics and chemicals that pose a risk to human health.

A diet high in processed foods and animal products is driving the epidemic of chronic disease and increasing the risk of dying from COVID-19. This is of particular concern for communities of lower socio-economic means and is disproportionately affecting minority ethnic communities.

NHS leaders and the Government need to act in the interests of the people and the planet rather than the interests of the corporate sector, who have contributed to the current climate and healthcare crisis through aggressive lobbying and marketing techniques.

Signatories

References

Willett, W. et al. (2019) ‘Food in the Anthropocene: the EAT–Lancet Commission on healthy diets from sustainable food systems’, Lancet, 6736, pp. 3–49. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(18)31788-4.

2020 Global Nutrition Report; https://globalnutritionreport.org

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS. A Farm to Fork Strategy for a fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly food system. Brussels, 20.5.2020 https://ec.europa.eu/food/farm2fork_en

State of the world fisheries and aquaculture 2018 http://www.fao.org/3/i9540en/i9540en.pdf

A. Kassam, T. Friedrich & R. Derpsch (2019) Global spread of Conservation Agriculture, International Journal of Environmental Studies, 76:1, 29-51, DOI: 10.1080/00207233.2018.1494927

Click here to download the open letter to NHS Leaders and the UK Government.