A GREEN Party councillor who is in support of the council's move to ban meat at its events, has said farming is one of our best hopes for a carbon-neutral future.

Councillor Pete Sudbury, cabinet member for climate change and environment reached out to the National Farmers Union (NFU) after it wrote a letter to Oxfordshire County Council about the vegan food motion.

Mr Sudbury met with NFU representatives and agreed an initial program of exploratory farm visits and discussions.

This comes after Jeremy Clarkson branded Oxfordshire County Council "swivel-eyed communists and drippy hippies" in an opinion piece in The Sun newspaper backing the farmers who protest against the meat ban.

Read also: Jeremy Clarkson hits back at Oxfordshire council's decision to go vegan

Writing in The Sun, Mr Clarkson says the change to a vegan diet should be a choice and claims the council has "absolutely no clue about farming."

However, Green councillor Mr Sudbury has said there is "no suggestion that the council is forcing anyone to give up meat eating". He added the council aims to use its "buying power" to support the progression of Oxfordshire farming towards a "regenerative and climate positive future."

Read also: Councillor defends decision to go plant-based after Jeremy Clarkson's criticism

Mr Sudbury said: “When we look at climate change, it is clear that farming is critical to its mitigation and adaptation: well-managed soils sequester carbon, those well-managed soils absorb more rain and absorb it faster, reducing flood risks, increasing resilience to drought and growing healthier, more nutritious food.”

He added: "Farming is one our best hopes for a carbon-neutral future, and we will assist Oxfordshire's farmers in their mission to create that.”

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