A new report from the charity Foodrise has revealed that the European Union's common agricultural policy (CAP) provides vastly disproportionate financial support to beef and lamb, receiving 580 times more in subsidies compared to legumes. This finding highlights a disturbing trend where meat-heavy diets, considered both unhealthy by medical professionals and detrimental to the environment by climate scientists, are favored. The analysis shows that while the EU allocates nearly a third of its budget to support farmers, much of the funding is based on farm size rather than ecological or health considerations.

Furthermore, the report indicates that pork and dairy products also receive excessive subsidies, with pork subsidized nearly 240 times more than legumes and dairy receiving 554 times more than nuts and seeds. This unfair distribution of funds not only undermines efforts to encourage more plant-based diets but also exacerbates environmental concerns such as land use and greenhouse gas emissions associated with livestock farming. The reliance on subsidies that favor the production of meat and dairy products perpetuates a cycle that is at odds with public health initiatives and climate action goals.

Martin Bowman, a campaigner at Foodrise and the author of the report, emphasized the need for a shift in subsidy allocation towards more sustainable food sources, particularly legumes, which can provide healthier protein options while reducing the environmental footprint of agriculture. The findings set the stage for a potential re-evaluation of CAP funding strategies as the EU grapples with the dual challenges of promoting public health and addressing climate change, necessitating a comprehensive overhaul of agricultural support systems.