Livestock that primarily live on pasture are an essential part of sustainable farming systems. They provide nutrient dense meat and milk, as well as sustainable fibres such as wool, from the grass and legume plants that would be inedible to humans.

Livestock production has received a lot of criticism in recent years. People are rightly concerned about the devastating impact of industrial farming, with animals often housed in cramped conditions and fed largely on grain which contributes significantly to deforestation and climate change.

These farming systems must be phased out, which would see significant changes in our diets. We would shift away from intensively produced ‘cheap’ meat, particularly chicken and pork, and instead eat meat, such as beef and lamb, from mainly pasture-based systems, with occasional chicken and pork from much higher welfare systems.

In contrast to their industrial counterparts, these high welfare, pasture-based systems can:

• help to restore or maintain ecosystems;
• build natural soil fertility;
• provide habitats for biodiversity;
• maintain cherished landscapes;
• produce nutritious food from marginal land.