Imagine This: A Truly Nourishing Breakfast.

Your family sits down for breakfast: scrambled eggs from pastured hens, cooked in golden butter. A glass of creamy raw milk from your local farm, fresh and unprocessed. Perhaps some fresh, seasonal fruit on the side. 

It’s simple. It’s nourishing. And it’s rooted in the kind of wisdom that sustained families for generations. 

But how much longer will we have access to foods like these? 

Right now, farming practices in the UK are under attack. Policies and corporate-backed initiatives—from chemical feed additives to restrictive food regulations—are threatening not just farmers, but the very foundation of how we nourish our families. 

The latest example? Bovaer, a chemical additive being trialed by dairy giant Arla and other UK suppliers to reduce methane emissions in cattle. It’s being framed as an eco-friendly solution to climate change, but dig a little deeper, and it’s clear: this is part of a much bigger shift toward industrialised farming and away from traditional, regenerative methods. 

What’s Happening with Feed Additives? 

Bovaer is a chemical feed additive being piloted on UK farms, including those supplying Arla, Tesco, Aldi, and Morrisons. The promise is bold: a 30% reduction in methane emissions from cows, helping to combat climate change. 

But here’s the problem: methane emissions are a symptom of a broken farming system, not the cause. 

Here’s what they’re not telling you: 

  • Cows naturally produce methane as part of their digestion, especially when fed grain-heavy diets designed to maximise milk yields. 
  • These unnatural diets are a result of industrialised farming systems that prioritise profit over animal welfare and environmental balance. 
  • Bovaer doesn’t fix the root problem—it’s a quick plaster for an unsustainable system. 

When cows are allowed to graze on diverse, natural pastures, their methane production is far lower. But industrial farming doesn’t prioritise natural grazing. Instead, it opts for high-energy, grain-based diets that the animals aren’t designed to digest. 

This isn’t about saving the planet. It’s about keeping an unsustainable farming model afloat. 

How Does This Affect Families? 

This isn’t just about methane or farming practices—it’s about the food we feed our families and the future we’re building for our children. 

  1. The Quality of Our Food
    Additives like Bovaer, used in trials by companies like Arla, raise serious questions about the quality of the milk, butter, cream, cheese and meat that ends up on our tables. And it’s not just cows. Chickens are often raised on soy-heavy diets—another practice that raises concerns for animal health, food quality, and sustainability. What happens to the nutrient density of these foods when they come from animals fed unnatural diets and chemical additives? 
  2. A Disconnection from Nature
    By supporting chemical-heavy farming systems, we lose the chance to teach our children about the beauty of natural, regenerative farming. Food becomes a product of corporations, not a reflection of the seasons, the soil, or the animals themselves.
  3. The Disappearance of Small Farms
    Policies and practices like these are making it harder for small, family-run farms to survive. These are the very farms that produce quality milk, pasture-fed meat, and nutrient-dense food—the foundation of a healthy, conscious life. 

Raw Milk: A Case Study in Madness 

Let’s talk about raw milk. 

For centuries, families across the UK thrived on raw milk—packed with probiotics, enzymes, and vitamins that strengthen the gut, immune system, and bones. Yet today, raw milk is heavily restricted in the UK. Many people don’t even know it exists as an option. 

Meanwhile, supermarkets and corporations push pasteurised, ultra-processed milk products that are stripped of their natural nutrients and often loaded with additives. 

Here’s the contradiction: 

  • Raw milk, produced by small farms and sold locally, is treated as a “risk.” 
  • Chemical feed additives like Bovaer, trialled by Arla and other dairy giants, are framed as “solutions.” 

What message are we sending to our children when the most natural, nutrient-dense foods are demonised while synthetic, industrial solutions are celebrated? 

The Bigger Picture: Eroding Food Sovereignty 

The push for feed additives like Bovaer is just one part of a larger trend that’s reshaping farming in the UK. 

Consider this: 

  • Home garden chicken flocks are now subject to strict registration requirements, while industrial poultry farms face minimal scrutiny. 
  • Inheritance tax changes are forcing many small family farms to sell up, unable to pass their land to the next generation. 
  • Raw milk remains restricted, while synthetic, plant-based alternatives are freely marketed as “better for you.” 

These policies aren’t about protecting health or the planet—they’re about centralising control over our food systems and sidelining the small, independent farmers who prioritise sustainability and care. 

Where to Find the Best Food for Your Family 

Here are just a few incredible resources to help you access raw milk, pasture-raised meat, and regenerative produce: 

Raw Milk Suppliers 

Pasture-Raised Meat 

  • Primal Meats: Organic, 100% pasture-fed meat from regenerative farms. 

Regenerative Farms 

  • CSA Network UK: Join a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) scheme to access fresh, local produce, including meat and dairy. 

This is by no means an extensive list—there are so many incredible small farms and producers across the UK doing vital work to protect our food systems. Every pound you spend on raw milk, pasture-raised meat, and regenerative produce supports these farmers, nourishes your family, and helps preserve the farming practices that truly matter. 

The Conscious Parent Perspective 

At The Conscious Parent, we believe food is about more than just nourishment. It’s a way to connect—to the land that grows it, to the farmers who nurture it, and to the animals that provide it. What we choose to feed our families reflects the values we want to pass on: respect for nature, care for the animals that sustain us, and a commitment to raising healthy, conscious children.  

When we choose food from regenerative farms, we: 

  • Nourish our children with nutrient-dense foods that support their growth, immunity, and mental well-being. 
  • Teach them the importance of living in harmony with nature. 
  • Support small farmers who are the custodians of our land and traditions. 

This isn’t just about food—it’s about the kind of world we want our children to grow up in. 

What Can We Do? 

  1. Educate Ourselves and Our Families 
  • Learn where your food comes from and teach your children about sustainable farming. 
  • Visit local farms, connect with farmers, and show your children the beauty of regenerative practices. 
  1. Support Small Farmers 
  • Buy directly from your local farms or through the resources listed above. 
  • Choose raw milk, pasture-raised meat, and seasonal produce to support traditional farming practices that prioritise animal welfare, food quality, and sustainability. 
  1. Advocate for Change 
  • Start conversations in your community about the impact of industrial farming and chemical additives like Bovaer. 
  • Share this blog and other resources to help more families understand how to support small farms and choose nutrient-dense, ethically produced food. 

By taking small steps together, we can protect real food, nurture our children’s health, and ensure the farming practices that sustain us are preserved for future generations. 

A Final Thought 

The future of farming isn’t just about cows, crops, or methane—it’s about the kind of world we want to create for our children. Every choice we make about the food we eat and the farms we support shapes that future. 

Do we want a world where our connection to nature, animals, and traditional practices is replaced by chemicals and corporate control? Or one rooted in respect for the land, care for the animals, and a commitment to leaving something better for the next generation? 

By choosing conscious, intentional actions today, we can protect the food that nourishes us, the farmers who sustain us, and the values that matter most.