A new report published by the UK’s Royal Agricultural University exploring the attitudes, concerns and opportunities for farmers within the growing sector of cultivated meat is calling for further engagement between farmers and cultivated meat companies to avoid polarisation.
The report, which follows cultivated meat bans in Italy and the United States that were partly led by political statements about its perceived threat to farming, comes as the result of a two-year study in which researchers partnered with nine UK farms to see what cultivated meat could mean for their businesses.
While many farmers were cautious and sceptical of cultivated meat, the report revealed that in the context of the numerous pressing challenges facing farmers today such as unpredictable weather, exchange rates and fluctuating input costs, this emerging technology was not considered to be a particularly pressing worry.
Working closely with partner farms throughout the UK, the researchers found that some farmers were interested in the opportunities created by cultivated meat, such as providing raw materials for the production process or leasing farm buildings to cultivated meat companies.
It suggests farming by-products such as oilseed rape meal from vegetable oil production – which could be used to make ingredients for the nutrient-rich broth in which cells grow – may help the industry bring down costs while benefitting some farmers.
Linus Pardoe, UK policy manager at non-profit and think tank the Good Food Institute Europe, noted how the report demonstrates how building bridges between the cultivated meat sector and agricultural communities can offer benefits to both, and it’s great to see that some farmers recognise the potential opportunities cultivated meat can offer.
“At a time when debates about the future of food have become polarised, we welcome this study’s urgent call for sustained open dialogue between farmers and the cultivated meat sector,” Pardoe said.
