RENFREWSHIRE’S farmers have been praised for the quality of their meat as councillors backed calls to support the local industry.

In a motion submitted to a full council meeting, Paisley councillor Paul Mack and his Johnstone colleague Andy Doig asked members to “recognise the valuable contribution of our farming community to locally sourced and produced quality meat and dairy products.”

The call came after a UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report called for people to eat less red meat in a bid to combat climate change.

The motion drawn up by Cllr Mack and Cllr Doig read: “Renfrewshire Council notes the concern expressed by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate

Change earlier this year on the detrimental impact of agri-business on global warming, particularly in the meat and dairy sector, and recognises the valuable contribution of Renfrewshire’s farming community to locally sourced and produced quality meat and dairy products.

The Gazette: Cllr Eileen McCartin backed the motion Cllr Eileen McCartin backed the motion

“Council further highlights the benefits of quality red meat as a suitable source of zinc, iron, and vitamin B12 and calls on future UK governments to protect and defend the primacy of locally sourced and produced red meat, in areas such as Renfrewshire, when negotiating international trade deals.”

Cllr Doig, who represents Johnstone North, Kilbarchan, Howwood, and Lochwinnoch, said: “I have the honour to represent almost 300 farmers in my large landward ward, and I will stand up for and represent their interests as much as any other constituents.”

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Liberal Democrat councillor Eileen McCartin, who represents Paisley Southwest, said: “We get prawns from Vietnam and beef from Argentina and it is an absolute nonsense.

“We should be supporting local farmers and ensure they have the best possible market opportunity.”

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