Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of industrial livestock farming in the UK on (a) climate change, (b) deforestation of the Amazon and (c) national food security.

The Government promotes efficient, competitive farming, but does not seek to favour large, or small-scale farming operations, which each have a role to play in promoting sustainable UK agriculture and supporting our national food security. We need a resilient and healthy food system that works with nature and supports British farmers and food producers. As part of the Government’s international and domestic commitments, Defra produces an annual inventory of UK agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, including those from the rearing of livestock. We are committed to addressing how UK consumption of forest risk commodities drives deforestation in key ecosystems like the Amazon rainforest. This work includes consideration of the role of imported commodities such as soy and palm oil that are used in feed for UK livestock farming.