Cutting meat and dairy must be considered, Scots FM says

Scottish first minister Humza Yousaf has said the government must “clearly consider” reducing meat and dairy consumption to meet climate targets.

Mr Yousaf was asked by Farmers Weekly at the Royal Highland Show whether he agreed with calls from the Climate Change Committee, which advises all UK governments on tackling climate change, that dairy cattle, beef and sheep numbers would need to decline to reduce emissions.

He said: “We’ve of course got to look at our consumption for every single one of us – that’s clearly something we’ve got to consider.

See also: Climate committee push to cut livestock prompts Scots anger

“We will bring forward our climate change plan at the end of this year in November and that will look at every single sector, from our own behaviours as individuals and for transport, agriculture and so on and so forth.”

Mr Yousaf’s comments came as rural affairs secretary Mairi Gougeon sought to allay industry fears about the future for the livestock industry in Scotland.

“We produce livestock well here in Scotland and I think that will continue well into the future,” she told journalists.