Things we shouldn't eat (to save the planet)

I've certainly found reports to support Rick but I don't understand the methodology enough to comment (and as mentioned above the report is commission by NZ meat producers). I'm really struggling to see how NZ sheep farming differs significantly from that in Wales. As far as I'm aware sheep are left outside in all weathers here and the climate is probably very similar. They may get moved to lower pastures in winter months but the breeding is timed so that lambs are born at a certain time to suit the climate e.g. low lying farms in Monmouthshire will have lambs from January whereas the top of the Beacons it will probbaly be March. They only get taken indoors in extreme snowfall of if the lambs need hand feeding as far as I'm aware. I saw something making reference to NZ farmers planting trees but I'm not sure if that is taken into account in the report, it seems a bit disingenuous to include it (Wales in controversially try to send farmers down that route at the moment). I've also seen a report suggesting the way emissions from livestock is calculated isn't very realistic.

I mean, I don't think you have, as a 30 second google found lots of advice for rearing lambs indoors, including a British farming forum discussing the pros and cons.

It would be beneficial to eat some meat, like wild venison and rabbit, of which there are too many, but we are prevented from getting into that business by a miriad of laws meant to protect city dwellers from gangsta with hunting rifles.

Other than that, we all know farmed meat is a no go area if you care for the environment. And of course, dairy is just as bad, especially cow dairy.

You can makeca decent enough flat white using barista oat surrogate, which is moderately ultra processed and not terrible, so the need for real milk is somewhat feeble. Eggs instead are difficult to replace, without using ultra processed stuff that will kill you in the long run.

it’s partly a choice. You don’t have to go the supermarket route. You can spend more, obtain higher welfare or organic status certified and demand top dollar for your meat. You can even sell direct to the consumer or to restaurants. Going the supermarket way is down to the “egg today” mentality and unwillingness to change ways and take risks. It’s lazy and it’s not profitable, I don’t know why they keep doing it to be honest.

I doubt there is much of a market for even higher priced lamb.

You are wrong, virtually all producers who have gone the small scale, high walfare route and sell to resaurants and direct make profits and don’t look back. The reality is that the days of cheap meat are over, we will all have to buy less of it and pay more for it. Supermarkets pay upfront, so their money is appealing, but ultimately it is not enough… so more and more will either switch or leave… there will be less meat on the market and even supermarkets will have to pay more for it.

My wife buys supa dupa organic chicken occasionally, 18 pounds for a small bird, the same size at the lowest welfare at Tesco is less than 4 quid… guess which farmer turns a profit?

As your chicken example shows, the days of cheap meat are not over yet.

If selling direct/small scale etc is such a clear win why aren't more doing it?

Anyway this is the eco focused thread. Loads of small scale organic high welfare farms isn't good for the planet, however warm and fuzzy it might make us feel while we swan around the local farm shop.

Cos they're lazy apparently.

I think you are confusing lambing sheds, where lambs are born and spend their first few days, and is common to UK and NZ, with being reared indoors.

Not much in there about producing vast amounts of chicken

I’ll ask the founder of my firm who mentioned it to me. He owns a few meat farms on both sides of the world.

You still get less than three figures for a lamb after all that effort. There's no way I'm becoming a sheep farmer.

What’s not to understand?