Reducing livestock numbers could help farmers become more profitable claim

BRITISH livestock farmers could be more profitable if they shift towards providing environmental benefits such as creating wildlife habitat, analysis suggests.

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Analysis by environmental think tank Green Alliance suggests that while the amount of meat people are eating in the UK has dropped over the past 20 years, production has not followed suit - yet livestock farmers often struggle to be profitable.

The assessment suggests reducing livestock numbers could help create more space and time for farmers to tap into more lucrative income streams on their land, such as payments for peatland restoration or creating wildlife habitat, while also reducing the climate impact of meat production.

Eating less meat, such as processed or red meat, is recommended by the NHS to reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer, while the advisory Climate Change Committee (CCC) recommends cutting meat consumption to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and free up land for carbon storage.

Although people report eating less pork and beef in recent years, production of both meats has grown as farmers export their produce, while lamb consumption has fallen eight times faster than production levels, Green Alliance said.