Children’s television programme Blue Peter has found itself at the centre of a row with farmers after it encouraged children to stop eating meat for two weeks as part of a climate crisis initiative.
Blue Peter Climate Heroes’ could earn a green Blue Peter badge by by making a pledge to ‘go meat free’ along with a number of other activities including switching off appliances to save power, wrapping their lunches in reusable materials instead of plastics and planting pollinator-friendly plants.
However, British farmers believed that Blue Peter’s approach contained sweeping statements which did not reflect how farms are responding to the climate crisis.
The National Beef Association’s chief executive officer Neil Shand wrote to BBC director general Tim Davie to complain about the scheme.
“The Blue Peter remit appears to be to encourage children not to eat meat without giving any positive balanced view on the benefits of meat, either to their health, to local industry or to countryside management, or any negative view on how fruit, vegetables or other plant food – and their corresponding air miles – might impact the environment,” said Mr Shand.
UK farming bodies the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, Quality Meat Scotland and Meat Promotion Wales, have written an open letter condemning the initiative, calling for the BBC and Blue Peter to ‘reconsider their one-sided messaging”.
The BBC has changed the wording on the challenge to ‘choose a couple of vegetarian meal options during your two weeks as part of a healthy balanced diet.’
LSL News.