We eat therefore we are involved in farming

Do you regularly leave out meat and dairy or did you start the year taking part in #Veganuary?

February was renamed #Februdairy as the dairy industry promoted products from cows and the benefits of a dairy inclusive diet.

Social media did great things to publicise both initiatives, but sometimes the propaganda and polarising of the arguments is rather unhelpful.

Giving up dairy alone will not save the planet. I can buy milk in a reusable bottle, that has travelled less that three-and-a-half miles from the dairy in the next village, or a non-dairy alternative transported across the country and packaged in plastic.

Farmland covers 70 per cent of Clinton Devon Estates and our own organic dairy herd produce 4.5 million litres of milk each year.

Clinton Devon Estates' own organic dairy herd produce 4.5 million litres of milk each year. Photo: Guy Newman (Image: Archant)

Farms like every business across the globe will need to adjust to the climate change implications, fully explore their carbon impact and help consumers understand and make sustainable choices.

Both plant-based diets and those including protein from meat and dairy can be healthy and food production systems don’t have to contribute negatively to the environment.

Devon’s farms play an important role in the sustainability of rural areas and shape the landscape.

Farmers work tirelessly and deserve support. Locally they produce quality milk products, vegetables, cereals, high welfare meat and globally produce vegetable protein too.

Food consumers can work hard too and make informed, conscious selections.

We all have responsibility and can influence livelihoods, animal welfare, biodiversity, food security and climate change just by what we do and what we buy.

Veganuary and Februdairy are behind us for another year.

Whatever we choose to put on our plates this March, we owe it to our bodies and our planet to eat well and be thankful to food producers locally and across the globe.