Chan eil e idir math dhan arainneachd g’eil crìonadh ann an gnìomhachas na feòla deirge

Tha mi a’ crèids’ ’s gum bi cuid a dhaoine ann a bhios glè thoilichte le crìonadh sam bith a thig air gnìomhachas na feòla deirge. ‘S dòcha fiù ‘s gun tog iad glainne no dhà dhen stuth uaine aca airson gàirdeachas a thoirt.

Leis an t-slighe air adhart gu math mi-chinnteach, tha croitearan is tuathanaich a’ cur an cùlaibh ris a’ ghniomhachas. (Dealbh: Adrian Dennis/Getty Images)

[English-language version below]

Chan eil air fhàgail a-nis ach gun gabh an còrr againn ri saoghal far a bheil sinn a’ cur ar cùlaibh ri feòil, ’s sinn ag èisteachd gu h-uile cridheil ri searmon Sheòrais Monbiot agus air ar saoradh bho gheir is pròtain agus salachar dhen t-seòrsa sin.

Ach, stad mionaid. Fònaidh na dh’fhònas leis an tuathail uaine seo.

Ged a tha e ceart g’ eil crìonadh air a thighinn air gnìomhachas na feòla, tha iarraidh làidir fhathast ann, agus an dùil gun èirich e cuideachd. Mar as motha a dh’fhàsas na dùthchannan bochda beartach, ‘s ann nas motha a bhios an sluagh aca ag iarraidh a' chothroim air biadh ùr.

Ach, nach bu chòir dhuinne, aig a bheil airgead gu leòr le làn chothrom air bàidh de gach seòrsa, eisimpleir a shealltainn?

Uill, bu chòir, ach nuair a bheirear sùil cheart air an t-suidheachadh, gu h-àraid ann an seo ann an Alba, chì thu gur e droch rud a bhios ann – seagh dhan àrainneachd – ma thig crìonadh air roinn na feòla. ‘S e fìrinn na cùise gum feum sinn obair àiteachais le stoc airson ar n-amasan uaine a choileanadh.

Bidh feadhainn ann leis a’ bheachd nach eil àite idir ann dha leitheid, gum bu chòir dhan tuath fhàgail mar fhàsach aig iolairean-mara is madaidhean-allaidh, ach tha sin gu tur a’ dol an aghaidh dè tha ciallach; gu h-àraid ma thig gabhail ri dòighean-obrach àiteachais a tha bàigheil dha nàdar.

Nuair a bhruidhinn Iain Bentley, ceann-suidhe Comann Luchd-reic Feòil na h-Alba, aig a’ choinneimh bhliadhnail aca ann an Dùn Èideann bho chionn ghoirid, dh’innis e mun chrìonadh.

Ach, ‘s e an rud a bha smaoineachail mu dheidhinn, rud air am bu chòir dha daoine aire a ghabhail, dè bha air cùlaibh a’ chrìonaidh.

Cha robh e idir mu dheidhinn, thuirt e, lùghdachadh ann an iarraidh no nach eil daoine deònach atharrachadh; ach gun robh iadsan a tha a’ coimhead às dèidh bheathaichean – tuathanaich is croitearan – a’ fàgail ri linn na mì-chinnte anns an taic a tha iad a’ dol a dh’fhaighinn bhon Riaghaltas.

Seo an dearbh fheadhainn a tha deònach barrachd a dhèanamh dhan àrainneachd, ach le dàil air Bile Àiteachais ùr, tha cuid a' ròghnachadh cùlaibh a chur ris, gu h-àraid is cosgaisean a’ sìor èirigh.

Ach, gun crìonadh mòr a’ tighinn air an iarraidh anns a’ mhargaid, chan eil sin ach a’ ciallachadh gum bi barrachd dhen stuth a tha a' nochdadh air sgeilpichean nam bùthan mòra a’ tighinn bho àitichean aig nach eil riaghailtean cho teann ma choinneimh na h-àrainneachd.

‘S dòcha gun còrd e ri cuid ma thig crìonadh air na thathas ag àrach de dh’fheòil anns an dùthaich seo, ach bhiodh sin dall gu dè dha-riribh a bhios e a’ ciallachadh agus dha na sgìrean dùthchail, agus ‘s ann a dh’fhàgas e blas fada ro shearbh air cùisean. Rudeigin coltach ris na deochan uaine, dh’fhaodadh tu ràdh

English-language version:

In the current climate of heightened awareness of veganism and vegetarianism, there may be some who will be tempted to raise a celebratory kale smoothie or two at the revelation that the red meat industry is experiencing a decline. A case of job done, you might assume, and all that’s left now is for the rest of us to embrace a new harmonious, herbivore future for all, with George Monbiot at our head and free from all those horrible, protein-rich, fatty foods.

But not quite. Steady on with that heady green mixture. While it’s certainly the case that the Scottish red meat sector has declined in terms of its workforce numbers, demand has not, and, in fact, on a global scale is expected to increase as developing nations become richer and their population exploit more lifestyle opportunities, including what they are able to eat.

But shouldn't we, as part of the wealthy, advanced West, show an example? Well, yes, except that a closer inspection of the situation, particularly here in Scotland, shows that, however counter-intuitive it may seem, any contraction in the domestic red meat sector is actually bad news for developing the famed Green agenda, for that all-important, long-term, environmental sustainability.

There will be the ideologists and zealots who believe that livestock have no place in the countryside, that our dear green places should be left as an untouched wilderness for wolves and sea eagles, but that would simply be a betrayal of real-life, practical, environmental management, one in which nature-friendly agricultural production is fully embraced.

When Ian Bentley, president of the Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers, recently addressed his organisation’s annual general meeting in Edinburgh, you would have expected him to express disappointment at a reduction in the sector. But what struck home, what should serve as a warning more than anything, was the explanation as to why it’s taking place.

In lamenting the industry’s decline, Mr Bentley explained that it wasn’t so much to do with falling sales in the marketplace, or resistance to change, rather that primary producers – those at the farm gate who look after the animals – are turning to pastures new because of the uncertainty over what future support they will receive from the government.

These are the very ones that fully accept a future with greater emphasis on environmental responsibility, but with the new Agriculture Bill already delayed and no clear indication of support mechanisms, many are just deciding to leave, particularly in the current climate of rising costs.

With no actual sign of a major reduction in consumer demand for red meat products, that creates a major problem, as it will simply mean more of what appears on the shelves of supermarkets – which can always be relied on to exploit demand – coming from abroad, shipped across the oceans and from regions with less stringent environmental regulations than those we embrace here.

A vastly reduced domestic meat industry may appear superficially beneficial for the environment, but that would be blind to its practical realities and, for many rural communities who rely on the industry, it would simply leave a bitter taste in the mouth. Much like a kale smoothie.