VIVA! FARMING LAUNCHES

Viva! launches farming debate

“Is the future of sustainable farming animal-free?” Oh yes it is!

BY KERRI WATERS, VIVA! FARMING COORDINATOR

UK farming is facing an uncertain and changing landscape. Issues of sustainability, justice and healthy diets are creating pressure for change from every angle. Farming is not only a cause of the problem but also the solution.

For years, Viva! has been accused of hating farmers and having no economic solutions for replacing animal agriculture. Both claims are untrue but now, we are officially drawing together experts to help farmers carefully plan how to transition away from damaging animal agriculture, without going out of business.

In February, we organised a panel of experts in Birmingham to discuss the motion: “Is the future of sustainable farming animal-free?” This unprecedented event brought together vegan advocates and farming experts, some of whom support animal agriculture, to find where there is common ground and discuss their visions for the future of farming. The debate marked the launch of Viva! Farming; a new project which will provide advice to farmers while still campaigning for a transition away from meat, dairy and egg production in the UK.

With perfect timing, Storm Eunice struck with 120 mph winds that disrupted transport and almost brought the UK to a standstill. We went ahead nevertheless and on April 19, an online event was hosted by Viva! founder and international director, Juliet Gellatley and Viva! Farming Coordinator, Kerri Waters to bring the debate to even more people. It included a special screening of the Birmingham panel discussion and participants had the opportunity to put questions to veganic grower and expert, Iain Tolhurst.

On the original panel, supporting the motion that sustainable farming should be animal free, were: Kerri Waters; Juliet Gellatley; Iain Tolhurst, owner, Tolhurst Organic; Jasmijn de Boo, Vice President, ProVeg International; Andrew Knight, Professor of Animal Welfare and Ethics, University of Winchester; and Rich Hardy, Co-founder, Lazy Meadow Vegan Farm.

Those against were: Caroline Drummond, Chief Executive, Linking Environment and Farming; Richard Young, Policy Director, Sustainable Food Trust; Christopher Price, Chief Executive, Rare Breeds Survival Trust; and Dr Julia Wright, Associate Professor, Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience, Coventry University.

The basis of the motion was that animal farming, as well as being cruel to animals, is responsible for 18 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions and damaging environmental impacts, such as water and air pollution, deforestation, biodiversity loss, and monopolising land use. Respected institutions such as Chatham House, the IPCC and Oxford University, have now warned that it is necessary for us all to transition towards a plant-based diet to tackle the climate crisis and feed a growing global population.

There were many areas where the two sides agreed, for example, that factory farming has to be outlawed urgently. This is only the start of an ongoing campaign to change the face of British agriculture.

It is necessary for us all to transition towards a plant-based diet to tackle the climate crisis

Above: Juliet Gellatley of Viva! and Iain Tolhurst, of Tolhurst Organic. Above right: the full farming debate panel in Birmingham. Right: from left, Kerri Waters, Laura Hellwig and Rich Harvey of Lazy Meadow Vegan Farm vivafarming.org.uk facebook.com/vivafarming instagram.com/viva.farming twitter.com/VivaFarming