LIVESTOCK farmers could be more profitable if they shift towards providing environmental benefits such as creating wildlife habitat, analysis suggests.

Environmental think tank Green Alliance argued today that while the amount of meat people are eating in Britain has dropped over the past 20 years, production has not followed suit — yet livestock farmers often struggle to be profitable.

The assessment suggests that reducing livestock numbers could help create more space and time for farmers to tap into more lucrative income streams on their land.

These include payments for peatland restoration or creating wildlife habitat, while also reducing the climate impact of meat production.

Lydia Collas, head of natural environment at Green Alliance, said that “we’d all benefit as farmers would help wildlife recover, improve water quality and prevent flooding.”

Eating less meat, such as processed or red meat, is recommended by the NHS to reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.

The advisory climate change committee (CCC) also recommends cutting meat consumption to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and free up land for carbon storage.