7th June 2010

ALAN KEEN MP ENJOYS RAINFOREST FREE LUNCH OUTSIDE PARLIAMENT TO SHOW SUPPORT FOR PLANET-FRIENDLY FARMING

Last week Alan Keen MP joined Friends of the Earth to show his support for rainforest-free meat and dairy. He is one of more than 160 MPs to back calls for farm animals to be born, bred and fed British, instead of being reared on imported animal feed grown on deforested land.

The green campaigning charity’s Fix the Food Chain campaign is striving to reduce the impact of the UK’s factory farms which are wiping out rainforests and wildlife to grow animal feed.

Alan Keen MP said:

“Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a rainforest-free lunch if you’re eating meat and dairy, but it is possible to farm animals without trashing the planet.

“I back Friends of the Earth’s call for policies that will help farmers to rear animals that are born, bred and fed British.”

Friends of the Earth’s Senior Food Campaigner, Vicki Hird said:

“It’s great that MPs like Alan Keen are waking up to the impact of factory farming and supporting the switch to planet-friendly meat and dairy farming.

“Friends of the Earth is campaigning for a new law that will cut the meat and dairy industry’s impact and will support farmers and consumers to make greener choices.”

Friends of the Earth’s Fix the Food Chain campaign highlights some shocking facts:

·         On current trends animal feed production and cattle ranching alone will destroy 40% of the Amazon rainforest by 2050.

·         The meat and dairy industry is responsible for a fifth of global climate-changing gases.

1.       Alan Keen MP is one of more than 160 MPs to have backed Friends of the Earth’s call for action to reduce the environmental and social damage being driven by the global meat and dairy industry. For more information on these impacts see Friends of the Earth’s What’s feeding our food? report

2.       The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation, “the livestock sector emerges as one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global.” Livestock’s long shadow report.

3.       Friends of the Earth has tabled a Sustainable Livestock Bill and will be working with MPs in the new Parliament to make it law.

4.       Friends of the Earth believes the environment is for everyone. We want a healthy planet and a good quality of life for all those who live on it. We inspire people to act together for a thriving environment. We campaign on a range of issues including climate change, biodiversity, waste, transport and food. For further information visit www.foe.co.uk.