Cultured meat and the future of farming

*Please note this event is online and organised by The Royal Agricultural University*

Hosted by Abi Kay, Farmers Weekly.

Around the world, governments are deciding whether cultured, or lab-grown, meat will make it to supermarket shelves. This could have far-reaching effects on agriculture, but so far, farmers’ voices have been left out of the debate. So, for the last two years, a study led by the Royal Agricultural University has been working with farmers to map the winners and losers of a world with cultured meat. As the project draws to a close, join us to hear from the farmers who took part and learn what the findings could mean for your farm. Then, have your say before we present our recommendations to policymakers.

What could cultured meat mean for your sector?

Of all the challenges facing farming right now, the risk of cultured meat replacing traditionally reared livestock might feel a long way off. Yet, billions are being poured into its development. It has been approved for human consumption in the US and Israel, and is already on sale in Singapore. In the UK, the FSA received the first application to sell cultivated beef late last year. When decisions are made, we want the impacts on farming to be taken seriously alongside the health, environmental, and economic implications. But there is hardly any evidence to present. Until recently, we simply didn’t know the wide-reaching impacts it might have on farming.

Cultured Meat & Farmers is a two-year study aimed at redressing this gap. First, we asked what farmers thought about cultured meat. And secondly, how it might impact farming if it were approved. We have worked closely with partner farms to map out how they might fare in different potential futures. The project is now coming to a close and we are starting to draw out recommendations that we will take to policymakers later in the year, so now is a critical time for farmers to feed in and have their voices heard.