The National Farmers Union (NFU) has had its complaint about impartiality upheld by the BBC over the documentary entitled ‘Meat: A Threat to Our Plant?’
The BBC1 documentary aired in November 2019 and was presented by science and wildlife presenter Liz Bonnin. The programme saw Bonnin travel around the world to investigate the environmental impact of the meat industry.
The NFU issued a complaint to the BBC after the programme aired, and the issue was then taken to Ofcom after the BBC failed to provide a timely response.
President of the NFU, Minette Batters, said: “This result, while a long time coming, provides true vindication on the points we made about what we believed to be lack of impartiality in this programme. British farmers are rightly proud of the work they do to rear quality livestock and care for the environment, and they were angry and hurt by the false impression of UK livestock farming the programme created for the viewer at home.
“All farmers want is fair coverage of food and farming and an end to the demonisation of some sectors of productive agriculture, particularly livestock.”
“In Britain we have some of the most climate-friendly systems of food production in the world. Emissions from UK beef production are already half that of the global average and our farmers are working to become net zero by 2040.
“UK grass-based systems are incomparable with the intensive feedlot style systems shown on the programme, and it is fantastic to see that being recognised today.”
Director of communications for the NFU, Fran Barnes, commented: “It was clear when the programme was broadcast that it fell short of the BBC’s guidelines concerning impartiality. We believed at the time that the programme was created to push a specific viewpoint.
“It has also been incredibly frustrating that it has taken ten months for the BBC to acknowledge this and to apologise, and that we have had to escalate this complaint to Ofcom in the absence of a timely response from the BBC.
“While we acknowledge the apology, we would like the BBC to go further and commit to redressing the balance in future programming to ensure this doesn’t happen again.
“All farmers want is fair coverage of food and farming and an end to the demonisation of some sectors of productive agriculture, particularly livestock.”
