Oxford council vote for 100% plant-based meals infuriating farmers trends now
A city council has sparked fury from farmers after banning all meat products from internal events and providing 'plant based options' for town hall events in a move that has been branded a 'kneejerk reaction.'
Labour run Oxford City Council voted unanimously to provide only plant-based food at all internal councilor events and plant-based options at all meetings and events catered for by the council in what has been described as a 'kick in the teeth for farmers.'
Prior to the decision, councilors enjoyed a plush menu of seasonal British favorites put on by local supplier Elegant Cuisine.
The catering company, which told MailOnline it still has the contract to cater for events put on in Oxford Town Hall, promises clients they are 'committed to locally and sustainably sourcing their ingredients and materials and {..} are dedicated to becoming as green as possible.'
The change to a plant based menu was proposed by Labour Cllr Paula Dunne
Events at Oxford Town Hall will now have plant based options alongside meat options
An example of a seasonal menu containing meat supplied by caterers Elegant Cuisine
Included on their prospective menus are local favourites such as Oxfordshire pork tenderloin and corn-fed chicken.
This is in stark contrast to what the new meals may look like after a similar scheme introduced by Oxfordshire County Council caused eco-embarrassment after Green Cllr Ian Middleton shared a picture of a buffet including exported kiwi fruit and mangoes last year - to the ire of some locals.
Proposing the motion, Labour Cllr Paula Dunne argued that the city council should follow in the footsteps of Oxford County Council as the overconsumption of meat and dairy was 'the leading cause of modern species extinctions'.
Oxfordshire County Council, which became the first authority to move to plant based food in December 2021 sparking a fierce backlash from Oxfordshire farmers and Jeremy Clarkson branded the policy 'utter, utter madness'.
But Matthew Alden, the managing director of the 230-year-old Alden Butchers, called the decision a 'kneejerk reaction' and said it was 'very easy to have a negative view about meat'.
He said: 'I'm not
