Ill-informed legislators are trying to limit lab grown meat options

Don’t tell me what kind of meat to eat.

There is yet another cultural war going on in this country. As recently reported in Inside Climate News and other publications, red state lawmakers are trying to restrict the sale of protein cultured from animal cells, better known as lab grown meat.

Florida and Alabama have recently criminalized producing or selling meat grown from animal cells in labs, citing it as “a war against ranching.” Dozens of other red states are trying to restrict it.

Lab grown meat is a new concept and uses new technology. It may be decades before it is mainstream. So why is it that right-wing legislators have taken up the cause?

Most of us know that agriculture, particularly beef production, is a potent source of greenhouse gases. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 37% of our methane emissions come from agricultural practices, and these practices make up about 10% of our total annual emissions. At the most recent United Nations climate summit 150 nations agreed to voluntarily cut emissions from food and agriculture.

But what exactly is lab grown meat and how is it produced?

Cultivated meat, or lab grown meat as it is known, is produced when you take a sample of an animal’s muscle cells and you grow it into an edible product in a lab with the help of amino acids. Cultivated meat is grown in large bioreactors. At present this new technology is incredibly expensive. It will be a long time before cultivated meat is readily available.

In addition to its environmental benefits, proponents point out that meat grown from cells in labs means people can eat meat without having to slaughter animals. They also point out that it’s safer and cleaner, in that it does not come from animals who live in feedlots that are known to be breeding grounds for harmful antibiotic resistant bacteria. Those feedlots generate tons of waste and pollute waterways. The animals are often confined to cramped cages standing in their own filth.

In contrast, lab grown meat is grown in hyper-sanitary conditions from cells taken from live animals in a manner that does not harm them. The cells are submerged in stainless steel vats of broth filled with amino acids. After a few weeks the cells begin to adhere to one another and produce enough protein to begin harvest. The technology is new. There are over 150 startups working on lab grown meat worldwide. It is only sold in a few countries thus far.

According to an article by Joanna Thompson in a recent Scientific American some 90% of the U.S. population regularly eats meat. Worldwide, meat eating is expected to double in the next few decades.

As Thompson points out only lab grown chicken is available now in a few U.S. restaurants. GOOD Meat is a company that produces laboratory grown chicken. Their food scientists start by taking stem cells from fertilized chicken eggs. In this country only lab made chicken has been approved.

It will be a long time before cultured meat is produced at a larger scale. It may be years before you’re going to find it in your grocery store at a price you can afford. These bans will make it harder. Even the Meat Institute, the trade group that represents meatpackers, called these bans “bad policy that would restrict consumer choice and stifle innovation.”

So, what’s all the hoopla about? Lab grown meat is not likely to have much of an impact on agriculture soon. I personally love the idea of being able to eat meat that is produced without the slaughter of animals. And I am a meat eater. I grew up on a farm. We raised all our meat. I saw many animals killed and butchered. I know these animals feel pain. I would love to not feel guilty about eating meat.

So, I personally take offense at ill-informed legislators limiting my dietary choices. There is every indication that lab grown meat will ultimately be far healthier than the traditional alternative.

The posture of these well-lobbied politicians is dangerous. It’s equivalent to passing laws saying we need to stop the production of alternative energy wind and solar because it’s bad for coal companies.

As Sparsha Saha, Harvard specialist on meat politics recently said regarding Florida and Alabama’s laws criminalizing these products, “it could be disastrous for the public interest in the long run. It is tragic to see this being thrown into the political theatre.”

Published on July 8, 2024, in the Albuquerque Journal.

© Judith Polich. All Rights Reserved. May be republished with author’s written consent and proper attribution.

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