:: press release ::

September 16, 2008

GREEN LOBBY WANT TO STOP US EATING MEAT! 
 

East Antrim MLA Alastair Ross has said that some of those in the green lobby really do not help their cause with ludicrous comments such as telling people to stop eating meat in order to prevent rising temperatures! 

He made his comments after the United Nation's top climate scientist, Rajendra Pachauri, urged people to cut their levels of meat consumption as a way to combat climate change. 

Commenting, Mr Ross said, 

“Dr Pachauri’s call to reduce meat production is absurd and quite frankly barmy. We are getting used to the environmental lobby coming up with ideas that restrict personal freedoms and end up being very costly to individual’s pockets. It now seems that they are targeting the meat sector.  

Firstly, individuals can decide for themselves what actions they wish to take to be sensitive to the environment, and secondly the comments of this top climate scientist could have a very severe impact upon the farming industry.  

The meat industry in Northern Ireland employs thousands of people and generates millions of pounds annually in revenue.  Things are difficult enough for those in the industry at present without outrageous comments like these.  

The industry is already making changes in terms of diet changes for cattle and techniques such as anaerobic digestion in order to reduce methane levels, and the results have been very positive over the past 15 years as levels have reduced by approximately 15%. 

It is time that the green lobby stop trying to impinge on every element of an individuals lives and allow people to exercise their own judgement on such matters as eating meat!”