Gloucestershire Council Faces Backlash Over ‘Swap Milk for Soy’ Campaign

[Social Media]

 

Gloucestershire County Council recently found itself at odds with local farmers after launching a campaign encouraging residents to switch from cow’s milk to vegan alternatives to reduce their carbon footprint. The council's "Swaps in Seconds" campaign initially recommended this change as part of a broader effort to promote small, environmentally friendly lifestyle adjustments among Gloucestershire’s population of over half a million.

 

The campaign was soon revised following objections from farmers and the Countryside Alliance, who viewed the recommendation as an attack on the dairy industry. The council subsequently removed the suggestion from its promotional materials.

 

Councillor David Gray, the cabinet member for the environment, explained the rationale behind the campaign to the BBC. “Dairy is one of the biggest producers of methane, so our suggestion is: every so often instead of having milk with your coffee, you have oat milk or soy, and that way make a small difference in the overall impact of your lifestyle on the environment," he said.

 

However, local farmers were not convinced. Jacob James, a dairy farmer, expressed his frustration with the campaign, labeling it “extremely frustrating.” Speaking to the BBC, James argued, “Unfortunately, emissions are a given, no matter what route we go down, and we should be looking at getting the best bang for our buck in terms of the nutrients produced from those emissions.”

 

James elaborated on the importance of local resources, pointing out, “We have a plentiful supply of water here and also land that is best at growing grass. Grass is the primary driver of high-quality milk production and the cows actually fertilise their own land.”

 

Gloucestershire, as noted on the council’s website, is predominantly agricultural, with the Vale of Gloucester traditionally associated with dairy farming, beef pasture, and orchards. Given this backdrop, the suggestion to replace dairy products with plant-based alternatives struck a nerve with the local farming community.

 

The Countryside Alliance also criticized the council's recommendation. Mo Metcalf-Fisher, the organization’s director of external affairs, described the move as an attack on freedom of choice and a disregard for the pressures facing dairy farmers. “At a time when our farmers are under immense pressure because of the family farm tax, it is astonishing that Gloucestershire County Council would choose to prioritize attacking dairy farmers in this way,” Metcalf-Fisher stated.

 

In response to the backlash, a spokesman for Gloucestershire County Council clarified the intent behind the campaign. “Gloucestershire has an amazing farming community who go beyond the call of duty to produce local milk that people across the county enjoy. What we’ve published today is a series of swap suggestions for people to consider, from food to transport to clothing. We didn’t mean to cause offence or to suggest people shouldn’t support their local farmer,” the spokesman explained.

 

The council’s attempt to encourage small, environmentally conscious choices inadvertently sparked a debate about the balance between environmental initiatives and support for traditional farming practices. As the council backtracked on its dairy swap suggestion, it highlighted the sensitivity surrounding agricultural livelihoods in the face of growing environmental concerns.

 

Based on a report by BBC 2025-01-20

 

 

[harryviking]

Vegans and the like are ignorant fools! A good way to ruin your health down the line....Soy is <deleted>! 

[roo860]

34 minutes ago, harryviking said:

Vegans and the like are ignorant fools! A good way to ruin your health down the line....Soy is <deleted>! 

Total morons

[herfiehandbag]

[SiSePuede419]

Milk is for baby cows.

These tykes should be drinking gin mixed with salt peter.

Carry on. 😄

[MalcolmB]

Every little bit helps.

But people, especially old people, are reluctant to change and are easily offended and can take it personally.

[sherwood]

Soy milk ain't Milk.

[Justanotherone]

creating soy boys to control the birth rate?

[Watawattana]

These councillors have clearly spent too much time in Soy 6...