The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) has complained about the Channel 4 show ‘Big British Beef Battle’ to Ofcom, claiming that it is “incredibly biased against beef”.
AHDB said the complaint is relating to failure to observe due impartiality and due accuracy as well as fairness under Ofcom’s fairness rule 7.9.
The board said it is “very difficult not to argue” that the show was misleading to British consumers and included a number of “factual inaccuracies”.
“It demonstrated a key issue for AHDB, that the narrative around livestock agriculture and its impact on the environment needs addressing, and that is why we have raised our concerns with Ofcom,” AHDB said.
In the complaint, AHDB said Big British Beef Battle was “incredibly biased against beef” and highlighted its use of “basic, and very limited scientific evidence and arguments within this complex field of science”.
The board said the presenter’s opinions against beef were “very apparent and forthright”.
“The programme includes a beef farmer as way of offering an alternative point, the programmes producers made no attempt to contact AHDB or any other agricultural organisation,” AHDB said.
“Failing to provide the opportunity for the UK beef industry to contribute to such a damning programme and adhering to rule 7.9.
“AHDB is an evidence-based public body sponsored by Defra. Our evidence, data, insight and analysis is relied on by the government, researchers and farmers alike for the benefit of a sustainable agriculture industry.”
The board said this resource and support extends to the media and it will, and does, “regularly liaise and advise” to ensure balanced and accurate reporting.
“The programmes producers failed to do so as required by Ofcom rules,” AHDB said.
