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!
Dear Letters’ Editor,
I was deeply frustrated to read the recent report published by the Agricultural and Horticultural Development Board (AHDB), which focuses on the apparent nutritional and sustainability benefits of dairy. It might be surprising for your readers to learn that dairy is not only detrimental to the environment but is not essential for good health.
In fact, research shows links between dairy consumption and many negative health implications such as cardiovascular disease, acne and certain cancers. Plant-based alternatives, such as fortified soya and oat drinks, can offer all of the nutrients necessary for optimal health. Randomised studies have shown that soya drinks (even those 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%
Dairy production is also a driving cause of water pollution, biodiversity loss, soil degradation and greenhouse gas emissions in the UK. Any proposed sustainability benefits of dairy production are eclipsed by its environmental costs and could easily be exceeded through a transition to plant-based alternatives.
In May 2024, a large number of health professionals wrote an open letter to DEFRA and the AHDB asking them to stop spreading misinformation about the consumption of meat and dairy.
With so many plant-based alternatives now available, there is just no need for dairy for either human or planetary health. To find out more, you can head to plantbasedhealthprofessionals.com where you can sign up to their 21-day plant-based challenge.
Best wishes,
[Name]
[Relevant contact details such as phone number or postal address – the editor may contact you before your letter is published]