THE importance of livestock farming to the region was emphasised at a seminar.

Organised by the South West NFU, attendees – which included key representatives from universities, local authorities and local enterprise partnerships (LEPs) – heard from a panel of industry experts and farmers.

The NFU said it was an opportunity to set out the facts about a sector which is often unfairly blamed for contributing to global warming, demonstrating that reducing UK meat production won’t stop climate change.

Livestock farming is worth more than £1bn annually to the region’s economy. In the south west there are 1.7m dairy and beef cattle, 3.1m sheep and 429,000 pigs.

NFU President Minette Batters told the meeting that the standards which British farmers adhered to meant that livestock farming did not involve a choice between the environment and food production.

She said: “Despite what we are often told, we can do both. It is quite wrong when the way livestock is produced here is equated with the way it is produced in other countries, when the systems are quite different.

“UK farming has some of the highest standards in the world both in terms of animal welfare and the environment, we produce high quality, nutrient-rich food which is very important when so many people eat poor diets and we need to encourage a return to whole foods.

NFU South West regional director Melanie Squires added: “We understand there is positive interest in this subject and we want to help key decision-makers understand better the role of farming, land management and food systems within the climate change debate.

“This was an opportunity to share our learning, discussing the facts and evidence as well as the genuine desire for partnership and the investment of expertise, science, innovation and education to ensure that we continue to have thriving countryside and rural communities – and the related local food supply chains – alongside high food standards and great environmental delivery.”

Prof Michael Lee, head of sustainable agriculture science at Rothamstead Research, warned about the danger of basing decisions on the basis of the global averages that are often quoted in media reports. He pointed out that the situation in the UK, where livestock were at the centre of a sustainable farming system that had underpinned rural society for generations, was very different.

Cathy Case, a mixed vegetable and livestock farmer from Devon, talked about the positive impact livestock has on her farm, not only in terms of making use of land that could not be used for growing vegetables because it is too steep, but making sure soils were kept in good condition.

Jonathan Foot, head of environment at the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) emphasised livestock’s sustainable credentials in terms of the amount of water used and the high nutritional value of meat.