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A mum threatened to withdraw her daughter from her primary school after other pupils decided not to eat meat one day a week as part of an environmental project.

Children at Ysgol Derwen in Higher Kinnerton are running the Meat-free Monday project after their Planet Protector group decided to look at the possible links between climate change and livestock production.

But one parent, herself a farmer, was so incensed she considered taking her daughter out of the school.

And farmers' representatives have also rounded on the scheme, describing what the youngsters are doing as a "vacuous gesture".

Kerry Jones, a livestock farmer from Halkyn , said she was horrified when daughter Tilly brought home the school’s new meat-free menu.

Dishes included Thai Green Sweet Potato Curry, Potato Focaccia, Butternut Quesadilla and Vegan Shepherd’s Pie.

She said: “I was fuming. It seems the school is just ramming this issue down our throats.

“If it wants to raise awareness of environmental issues, why not have a paper-free Monday or a car-free Monday?

“Why doesn’t it send out emails rather than letters to parents of the school’s 220 pupils?

“It seems people always want to single out farmers.”

Kerry took to Facebook to voice her fears, prompting a flood of shared concern, not just from other farmers.

Tilly is now asking her mother if she can take sandwiches to school rather than have meat-free meals. According to Kerry, she is not alone.

She added: “As a farmer I’m often up at 3am or 4am and I really don’t want to be making sandwiches the night before.

“On cold winter days I want her to have a proper cooked meals at school to give her plenty of energy.

“I am all for freedom of speech but why can’t they include a meat option and give the children the choice?”

Flintshire council says if the scheme is a success, it may think about introducing it at other schools.

It said the youngsters wanted to encourage the consumption of fruit and veg as part of their “growing awareness and understanding of climate change”.

It was not an exercise designed to promote veganism or highlight animal cruelty, said the council.

But farm unions said singling out livestock farming, as a contributor to global warming, was “over-simplistic”.

NFU Clwyd chairman Paul Williams said the move showed a lack of understanding of the dietary benefits of meat, and failed to consider the high environmental standards to which meat is produced in Wales.

Eifion Huws, vice president of the Farmers Union of Wales (FUW), added: “Giving up meat for one day is nothing less than a vacuous gesture from people that have failed to grasp the wider problem.”

Ysgol Derwen has received just one formal complaint and it is believed other parents have applauded the pupils’ initiative.

(Image: Daily Post Wales)

Members of the school’s popular Planet Protectors group approached the school’s cookery team and the idea was passed to Flintshire’s school meal provider, Newydd.

It agreed to develop trial menus and test them at Ysgol Derwen until autumn half-term.

Parents were informed back in May but IT issues meant the menu was launched without fanfare at the start of term.

Claire Homard, Flintshire’s chief officer for education and youth, said the initiative was primarily designed to promote healthy lifestyles.

She said the trial will be reviewed after half-term and will include Kerry’s views.

Ms Homard added: “The headteacher has overseen the development of the leaflets and the menu and is content that this is an example of positive engagement by pupils in issues that they are passionate about.

“The headteacher has also ensured that this initiative is focused on healthy eating and is not being used to actively promote vegetarianism, veganism or a statement against animal cruelty.”