NFU Scotland (NFUS) has stepped in after farmers reacted angrily and threatened to withhold donations to two national cancer charities who are encouraging their supporters to give up eating meat for a month.
One of the charities has already announced it is no longer promoting its campaign.
Cancer Research UK is urging people to take the “Veg Pledge” and go vegetarian or vegan for a month.
Meanwhile, Macmillan Cancer Support launched a ‘Meat Free March’ campaign where participants are encouraged to “try not to think about burgers”.
Participants are asked to sign up for a fundraising pack and Just Giving page to attract sponsorship.
However, the campaigns have attracted an angry backlash from the farming community.
NFUS said it was “regrettable” the charities appear to have been caught up in the recent “ill-informed debate” on livestock production, diet and climate change.
“It’s extremely important that the facts around the role of meat, dairy and eggs in a healthy diet and Scottish farming’s green credentials are fairly represented and these charities have a responsibility to do that,” said NFUS president, Andrew McCornick.
“We hope these important charities take steps to ensure that the agricultural community can return to giving them their full support in the future.”
Both charities have said their campaigns are short-term with the aim of raising money to fund their work.
Heather Pearl from Macmillan Cancer Support said: “We are sorry the fundraising challenge Meat Free March has caused upset for some of our supporters, as this was never our intention.
“Meat Free March has had fewer registrations than we’d hoped for and as a result, we’re no longer promoting the challenge.”
Sarah Pickersgill from Cancer Research UK said: “Veg Pledge is one of many fundraising campaigns we run throughout the year, and these initiatives are vital in helping to fund our life-saving work.”