The top scientist at the Food Standards Agency said he was “very disappointed” that scientific evidence was ignored as a conspiracy theory spread about an attempt to reduce cows’ contribution to climate change.
The dairy firm Arla and several supermarkets have been feeding cattle Bovaer, a powder that can reduce emissions of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, from their burps and flatulence.
However, in November and December, people posted videos on social media of themselves pouring milk down the sink as they made unfounded claims about health risks. The Reform MPs Rupert Lowe and Richard Tice called for a boycott of Arla over the additives, which are designed to tackle climate change.
As well as the two MPs, a Page 3 model and a self-described “independent journalist” were among those to question on X the use of the additive, falsely linking the trials to the billionaire Bill Gates.
The use of the feed supplement in the UK was approved by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) which found that it was not passed on in the cows’ milk.
Asked by The Times if he had a message for Reform and Elon Musk, the owner of X — which hosted much of the misinformation — Robin May, the chief scientific adviser to the FSA, said: “We believe very strongly that evidence should lie at the heart of good policymaking. So it’s always very disappointing if people either ignore or kind of go against the available scientific evidence.”
May added: “My plea would be for people to pause and take a careful look at the robust scientific evidence before they comment.” However, he said he was not singling out Musk, Lowe and Tice.
Bovaer is the only low-methane additive currently approved for use in the UK. It is limited for use with lactating dairy cows. The FSA is reviewing whether it could also be fed to cattle being reared for beef.
“The FSA safety process is very rigorous and comprehensive. And I think we have to give them time to evaluate these feed additives very carefully,” said Dr Sinead Waters, a lecturer and researcher at the University of Galway.
Waters added that researchers had been shocked at the “startling” posts on X about feeding additives to cattle. “But I think it’s a really good wake-up call to scientists because really our communication is often with the farmers and we really want to have uptake of these technologies,” said Waters.
In a joint statement, Lowe and Tice said: “We are shocked that scientists deny our right to free speech and free choice, and demand we follow their orders. Methane from farting British cattle is not an issue to fuss about, especially as it dissolves after 12 years or so.
“We should not be meddling with additives to food products unless absolutely essential,which this is not. These scientists should be ashamed of themselves. They are messing with food products without knowing the long-term impacts.”
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Bovaer is approved in 68 countries and served to more than 200,000 cows globally, though it is unclear how many of those are in Britain. Studies have shown that it can cut methane emissions by 30 per cent. Milk suppliers to Tesco and M&S have started using the additive.
Other additives being explored include using red seaweed, which it is hoped will be fed to cattle on British farms this year for Morrisons. “One type of seaweed in particular, the red seaweeds, are particularly effective at reducing methane emission because they contain a compound called bromoform,” Professor Chris Reynolds of the University of Reading said.
Agriculture accounts for about half of the UK’s emissions of methane. Official figures published last week show farming is now responsible for more of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions than all its power stations, at 12 per cent versus 11 per cent for electricity supply.
