Farmers have voiced their support for the TV show Kill it, Cook it, Eat it which aimed to reconnect the public with where their meat comes from by showing them the whole slaughter process.
The programme, which was screened on BBC Three during the first half of this week, set out to demonstrate the entire journey of an animal from field to fork.
Presented by food journalist Richard Johnson, the show asked an audience of guests to watch the slaughter of either a cow, lamb or pig which was then cooked in the studio by a chef so they could sample the end product.
Almost everyone who watched the procedure said they found it valuable and most went on to eat the meat. Many commented on the professionalism and skill of the slaughtermen, who they felt made the whole process as humane as possible.
Writing on FWi’s weblog Food For Thought, Richard Newgass said the programme could only be a good thing.
“The experience of recent years suggests that the more people know about how their food is produced the more discerning they become,” he said. “This should be good for British farmers who should be able to market themselves by highlighting the differences between their standards compared to foreign competitors.”
Another contributor – called Chips- said: “It can only be a good thing long term - the more people are sheltered from the realities of life the more they will turn to things like vegetarianism.”
For more on the show see Farmers Weekly magazine on Friday, 9 March. You can also add your own comments to the Food For Thought blog or comment on the forums.