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Herds of activists joined the commuter throng dressed as cows this morning to promote a new drive by environmental campaign group Friends of the Earth for rainforest-free food.

The cows tumbled into underground stations and sidled into bus queues bearing Mootros - customised versions of the capital's freesheet - to expose the hidden link between factory farm feeding practices in the UK and the destruction of South America's rainforest.

Much of the animal feed used in factory farming in the UK consists of soy sourced from plantations in Latin America. Friends of the Earth is urging the public to back a new law that will support British farmers who use home-grown animal feeds and minimise the environmental impact of meat and dairy production.

The udder intention was to draw attention to a keynote speech on feeding Britain, due to be delivered today by Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman at a farming and food conference.

Friends of the Earth's senior food campaigner, Vicki Hird, insists Friends of the Earth are not milking publicity without due cause. 'When it comes to food and farming, Ministers are ignoring the meatiest issue of all - the massive environmental hoofprint of our factory farms. The Government is propping up a system that links the meat and dairy on our plates to wildlife and rainforest destruction in South America.

'We don't need planet-wrecking factory farms to feed a growing population - and we don't all need to go veggie either. Ministers must back our new law to help farmers to feed animals a home-grown diet, and people to eat less and better meat.'

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