1. Friends of the Earth’s Food Chain campaign North West Regional Gathering 24 January 2009

2. Structure About the Food Chain Campaign – Part 1 –Why the campaign? Environmental and social impacts of meat and dairy –Where it fits within the Strategic Plan Making the links in the chain exercise About the Food Chain Campaign – Part 2 –Our solutions – Key messages – Timeline – Local Groups activism & how to get involved Questions and discussion Solidarity action with FoE Paraguay

3. About the Food Chain Campaign – Part 1 –Why the campaign? Environmental and social impacts of meat and dairy –Where it fits within the Strategic Plan

4. Brazil’s soy harvest March 2008

5. Livestock’s impacts - growing acceptance “ Livestock impacts on ecosystem goods and services are largely negative, through impacts such as deforestation, nutrient overloading, greenhouse gas emissions, nutrient depletion of grazing areas, dryland degradation from overgrazing, dust formation, and bush encroachment. ” Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, 2005

6. Livestock’s impacts - growing acceptance “ Livestock ’ s contribution to environmental problems is on a massive scale ” Livestock’s long shadow, UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, 2006 “ Globally, livestock has a disproportionately large impact on the environment and on resource use ” Food: an analysis of the issues, Strategy Unit, 2008 “… a healthy, low-impact diet would contain less meat and fewer dairy products than we typically eat today” Food Matters, Strategy Unit, 2008

7. Livestock’s impacts One of the main drivers of biodiversity loss in forests & other habitats - to make way for soy monocultures and pasture 18% of global GHG emissions Communities - loss of land and livelihoods, pesticide impacts, labour abuses, pollution of soil and water

8. Factory farming – dependant on soy Soy provides cheap source of protein for animal feed Use has soared as a result of agricultural policy and since BSE Much soy grown in South America and imported into Europe is GM UK farmers affected by commodity price volatility

9. A vicious circle - soy expands to meet demand

10. Soy expansion - Paraguay

11. The European market The EU is the biggest market for South American soymeal A third of all Brazilian soy is exported to Europe An area the size of Hungary is needed to grow soy for the EU market (10M ha)

12. Europe’s land grab Since 1996, the amount of land needed to produce soy for the European market is roughly equal to the area of deforestation in Brazilian forests

13. The UK’s role UK imported 1.7 MT soymeal; 650,000T soybeans from South America in 2007 From an area of 1.2 million hectares = larger than Cornwall and Devon

14. Strategic Plan 2008-13 Aim1: Biodiversity and ecosystem services Objective 3 To ensure that by 2013 the UK Government has put in place targets and incentives through its Sustainable Farming and Food Strategy such that livestock farming systems in the UK reduce reliance on imported animal feed. Aim 2: Climate Change

15. Making the links in the chain 80 321850 2050 9770200 13008022100,000

16. About the Food Chain Campaign – Part 2 – Our solutions – Key messages – Timeline – Local Groups activism – How to get involved

17. The Food Chain campaign Major public campaign for UK political action to address the impacts of livestock production Change the system - whilst maintaining a thriving & sustainable UK livestock sector Working with partners in South America Solutions in producing and consuming countries

18. Solutions: 1 – Shift money Shift subsidies away from intensive systems - including CAP Procurement: ensure public money is not spent on damaging, unhealthy food (£2.2 billion per year) Fund research into alternative feeds, breeds, crop varieties and cropping systems Change public investment policy

19. Solutions: 2 – Reform policy Climate change - secure international agreement to reduce forest loss from agricultural expansion Review EU trade policy - prioritise environmental & social impacts of global trade UK competition policy – supermarkets watchdog Corporate accountability – a Commission for Business, Human Rights and the Environment

20. Key messages Most people don’t know that producing meat and dairy is leading to more climate- changing emissions than all the planes, trains and cars on the planet. Animals in factory farms are being pumped full of imported soy crops, creating demand for big plantations that are wiping out forests and forcing communities off their lands in South America.

21. Key messages Taxpayers are spending billions propping up a system of factory farming that gives a raw deal to UK farmers and consumers alike, and is pushing the planet to the brink of runaway climate change. Friends of the Earth is calling on the Government to revolutionise the way we produce meat and dairy to break this chain. Ask your MP to change the deal behind your meal for good meat and dairy, thriving farms and a healthy planet.

22. Timeline Parliamentary launch and ‘What’s Feeding our Food’ – December 08 Individual Activism – March 09 Local Groups Activism – May Summer of Action Day of Action – October Private Members’ Bill ballot ~ Nov Targeted lobbying of MPs drawn in ballot to take up ‘Sustainable Livestock Bill’ ~ Nov/Dec

23. Local Groups activism Activism launches at May Regional Gathering Lobbying MPs to sign EDM Summer of Action – including street theatre, stalls, speakers, films –Other ideas? Making links in your local area – farmers, shops, health groups, animal welfare groups… Targeting non-MPs: Local Authorities, schools, hospitals, supermarkets…

24. How to get involved Sign up to the campaign here today Email Richard in the food team: Richard.hines@foe.co.uk Richard.hines@foe.co.uk Sign up to the Real Food Network through Richard or online: http://www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/real_food/ press_for_change/join_list_index.html http://www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/real_food/ press_for_change/join_list_index.html