Mayor of Worcester's 'meat ban' county farmers react

Councillor Louis Stephen, the city's first Green mayor, decided to have vegan and vegetarian options only at his receptions at the Mayor's Parlour in the Guildhall after full Worcester City Council meetings.

The decision provoked criticism from former city mayor, Cllr Alan Amos, who argued that it was 'discrimination' against meat eaters and that it was the duty of the mayor to cater for everyone.

It is the mayor's prerogative to decide what food is offered at the receptions and he has argued vegetarian and vegan options are 'more inclusive' as many non-Christians do not eat pork and because of 'the gravity of the climate emergency'. 

CONSTRUCTIVE: Emma Hamer, Worcestershire NFU county adviser has helped dispel some myths around modern farming (Image: NFU)

STANCE: Louis Stephen, the Green mayor of Worcester City Council, stopped meat options at his receptions after full council meetings (Image: Worcester City Council)

Worcestershire NFU chair Oliver Surman, who farms at Upton-upon-Severn, said: “We are in the business of producing safe, affordable, traceable, climate friendly food for people to eat and whether that is growing asparagus in the Vale of Evesham or rearing livestock in the Malvern Hills, we are all trying to do it as sustainably as possible.  

“What Worcestershire people choose to eat is up to them but here in the county they can and do choose British produce from our farms, and as a result they enjoy some of the most sustainable meat and dairy products in the world.

“65 per cent of UK farmland is best suited to growing grass and these areas, which are huge stores of carbon to reduce emissions, are great for producing high-quality beef and lamb on.

“British beef often comes in at about half the carbon footprint of the global average and here in Worcestershire we are continually improving as we look to meet net-zero ambitions and grow crops and rear livestock while looking after the environment.

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“We also need to ensure we do not export our production to countries, which may not have the same standards of environmental protection as we do here.”

Emma Hamer, Worcestershire NFU county adviser, said: “Shoppers in Worcestershire have a level of trust and pride in British food that is not replicated in other parts of the world and they can be safe knowing our fruit, vegetables, dairy and meat products are more sustainable.

“You can not equate global farming with UK farming – grass-fed livestock farming here, for example, can simply not be compared to beef lots in the Texas panhandle.

“We have seen the mayor’s decision over the food he chooses to serve for his next meeting in office, we have spoken to farmers and will address any issues they have direct.

“The NFU will also hold talks with Worcester MP Robin Walker imminently to discuss Worcestershire farming and ways we can help safeguard domestic food supplies, support our family farms and keep feeding the city and wider county.”