SIR – Contrary to what Jon Burgess claims in his recent letter (“Vegans’ argument is ‘veggie pie’ in the sky”, Worcester News, December 6), opinion polls have consistently shown an increase in the number of people ending or reducing their consumption of animal products and our own group has attracted great interest from people wishing to adopt a more humane diet.

According to a “Can Britain feed itself?” report, it is estimated that only three million hectares would be required to feed the UK population on a vegan diet.

This is less than two-thirds of the land currently employed for crop production, because such crops are frequently used to feed farmed animals, rather than humans.

There’d be no need to include upland areas, as Mr Burgess suggests, and these could be allowed to return to their natural woodland state instead of being used to graze sheep and cattle.

Also, with regard to sheep, the animal most frequently grazed on uplands, we have the appalling situation of four million newborn lambs dying every year within a few days of birth, mostly from disease, exposure or malnutrition, and about a million adult breeding animals perishing in the fields annually, because such grassland is not the natural habitat for a species that originated in a much more arid climate.

Mr Burgess is also incorrect that feeding Britain on a vegan diet would require either artificial fertiliser or farmyard manure, because soil fertility could be maintained by the use of green manures, cover crops, green wastes and composted vegetable matter, as is done already on veganic farms.

Anyone interested in learning more about these issues or in adopting a more humane diet and lifestyle can contact Worcestershire Vegans & Veggies at info@worcsveg.org.uk, on 01562 700043 or via our website at worcsveg.org.uk.

RONALD LEE Communications Officer Worcestershire Vegans & Veggies