We need cultured meat

[oro_junestar]

Many of you have probably never heard of this concept. Many of you may have once heard the phrase "lab grown meat", said 'ew', and never thought about it again. But I need you to hear me out because cultured meat could solve the sheer amount of problems that the meat industry creates.

Cultured meat, AKA clean meat or lab-grown meat, is produced by taking a small culture of live animal muscle cells and growing them into full meat products. There are so many benefits to this:

-There is no animal slaughter involved. No mass-breeding and killing, no bones or organs or other waste to toss out.
-Labs are far more sanitary than slaughterhouses and animal enclosures.
-None of the steroids, animal vaccines, or other god-knows-what chemicals that come in slaughter meat
-The cultured process isn't traumatizing to watch and morally disgusting like the slaughter process is.
-Land, water, and food that would be taken up by slaughter animals can now be used elsewhere.
-Cultured meat is reported to taste no different than the slaughter meat. It might even be better, since you get exactly what you asked for; no bone, no fatty bits, just pure meat (and for those who like bone-in and fatty, options for those could definitely be developed)
-Probably more benefits that I'm forgetting to list

For my last point, I want to share a personal anecdote that I'm sure many can relate to.
I'm a bit of a picky eater, but I somewhat enjoy meat. It tastes nice, but if I bite into any fat, I'll gag. One night this year, I ordered boneless chicken tenders, only to chew up a nasty piece of bone. I still nearly throw up thinking about it. For this reason, I'd much rather just have something vegetarian for dinner.
If I was given the option to eat lab-grown meat regularly, I'd gladly be a meat lover. I could dig into a porkchop without having to cut all the bone and fat off first. I'd eagerly chow down a juicy steak without a care in the world. I wouldn't find any more nasty surprises in my chicken.

The only things preventing this dream from coming true are lobbying and misconceptions. The slaughter meat industry doesn't want this idea to grow because it would create competition for them. They rely on you never getting past that initial 'ew' reaction, never doing more research on this revolutionary technology. If you think about it for more than two seconds, the slaughter industry is far more disgusting and needs to be thrown away immediately. But due to little public interest and poor funding, nothing is likely to happen any time soon.

I don't expect that any revolutionary change will come from this forum post, but I'd like you to at least keep what I've said in mind, do more research on this, and tell your friends about this. And in general, please keep an open mind any time you hear of a new concept, and make sure you research topics by reading from various sources before forming an opinion on them.

Have a wonderful rest of your night! I'll go eat some fruit

[lakes]

I've seen my dad fearmonger about lab grown meat. But really, I think it's worth a try because like, some people have disabilities that prevent them from going vegetarian or vegan. A lot of people like to assume being vegetarian would be enough. But there are certain situations where either a person or pet can't live sustainably on it. Even if I went vegan or vegetarian, I'd still be funding animal slaughter because I have cats.
I also hate biting into super fatty parts.

[squidlifecrisis]

what? I'd totally eat lab meat. it's the only ethical way to obtain meat.

I too am a very picky eater, and it would help me for similar reasons as you mentioned. but I hate too many vegetarian protein options to ever eliminate meat from my diet. if lab meat was an option and affordable, I'd pick that every time.

they could even grow fish meat without the heavy metals and parasites! that's what grosses me out so much about seafood. and I like birds! I hate that chickens suffer and die only to be eaten... they're meant to fly :(

A lot of people like to assume being vegetarian would be enough.

also, they don't like to talk about how vegan/vegetarian diet turns your bones into cheese. I work in surgery, where the difference in bone density is very obvious, and it's terrifying. it's a common joke when a young patient has comically soft bone: "are they vegan?"

So for that reason as well... I'm gonna be eating God's creatures until there's a better option.

[arcus]

There has been some progress towards cultivated meat, but lobbying by conservatives has lead to it being banned in many places in the USA.

Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen, founder of one of the largest hog operations in the U.S., championed the ban on cultivated meat in the state. In May, lawmakers approved Legislative Bill 246, introduced by Republican State Senator Barry DeKay at the request of Pillen. The Bill was signed in July, as Nebraska joins six other states that are effectively preemptively forbidding the product.

Both DeKay and Pillen cited reasoning for the ban rooted more in talking points than fact. Dekay believes cultivated meat producers are working to “socially engineer” consumers away from traditionally farmed meat products, while Pillen calls cultivated meat production “crazy far left ideology” that has no place in Nebraska.

These narratives echo false claims made about other alternative proteins, often framed as part of a left-wing agenda that threatens an American identity rooted in meat consumption. In reality, the way we eat accounts for one third of all greenhouse gas emissions — with most of those emissions driven by beef.

Dietary change is one of the most effective ways to curb those emissions, according to the climate research group Project Drawdown, with cultivated meat a potential climate solution in the mix. Lab-grown meat can appeal to meat eaters looking to cut back, but not quite won over by the taste of plant-based burgers.

Morgan is one cattle rancher who welcomes the competition and feels the conspiracy theories about social engineering are bogus. “That’s a typical right-wing conspiracy theory that they’re trying to instill into the mindset of people,” he says. “There’s not a factual word in there.” The way he sees it, both versions of meat products should be permitted on the market, leaving it to the consumer to decide. “The challenge for the meat industry is to make certain that we are producing a product that the customer wants and is willing to purchase,” he says.

Lab-Grown Meat Bans Are Spreading, but Some Ranchers Are Speaking Out Against Them

Sentient is a good news source on the industry, and has a few more informative articles on cultivated meat:
How To Explain Lab-Grown Meat Simply to People Who Aren’t Scientists
Texas Banned Lab-Grown Meat. But Is the Trend a Real Threat to the Industry?
How Big Meat Worked to Rebrand in 2024 — Using Disinformation
Can Cultivated Meat Succeed? One Company Is Turning to Quail Foie Gras & Woolly Mammoth Meatballs

-Probably more benefits that I'm forgetting to list

There's too many things to list. A major one you forgot is the impact it has on workers. Workers often come from low income backgrounds and are more or less forced to work in the industry. It's a very fast paced and dangerous industry, that often results in serious injuries and PTSD.

[rnottelovesowls]

we wouldn't even have to discuss stuff like "ethical meat consumption" if humans under capitalist societies weren't so freaking greedy and inconsiderate of other living beings. while i'm all for scientists finding a more sustainable form of getting meat, the fact that they have to do it in the first place, because the agriculture industry has polluted our planet beyond repair, is sickening

i don't know, maybe the hunter-gatherers are on to something. at least they respect the ecosystem and don't shove large animals into tiny cages

[arcus]

also, they don't like to talk about how vegan/vegetarian diet turns your bones into cheese. I work in surgery, where the difference in bone density is very obvious, and it's terrifying. it's a common joke when a young patient has comically soft bone: "are they vegan?"

It's from a lack of B12. Meat alternatives are fortified with it, but in misleading amounts. The legal recommended intake in many countries is 1000x less (not an exaggeration, 1mcg vs 1,000mcg) than what is actually required for oral consumption. A lot of people don't know this and trust what they see on packets.

It's pretty much impossible to get enough B12 in one's diet without supplementation. And in some unlucky cases, oral absorption is ineffective so routine shots are required instead.

B12 doesn't come from meat, but rather bacteria (which farm animals consume.) The reason why it's less common for meat eaters to be deficient, is that animals are given B12 and cobalt supplements so they're at a high enough level.

[Noah_S]

some people have disabilities that prevent them from going vegetarian or vegan

Hi, that's me. I'd love for lab grown meat to be more of an option.

And thank you for bringing this up. So many people overlook it.

It would also drastically slow down the path we're on towards not having effective anti-biotics anymore because of the meat industry using them for faster growth and making resistant bacteria.

[Seryndelle]

I’m a big meat eater—one of the biggest I know personally—and even I agree with you. Lab-grown meat would help me to reconcile the love I have for my favourite food with my desire to do what I can to help the environment and protect animals. Sure, it will probably taste awful at first, but I bet that with proper funding, and after a few iterations of development, they’ll be producing lab-grown meat indistinguishable from the real thing.

It all feels very Star Trek, doesn’t it? And any decision we make that leads us towards the kind of future we see in Star Trek can only be a good thing, in my book!

[cyberfun1 (dizz)]

Yeeaahh no. I'm sorry but I'm not for this lab cultured meat stuff. I feel like people are just supporting it because it's the "left-wing" thing to do and not really considering whether we want a world where we eat synthetic meat. It just feels stupid to blame capitalism on us eating meat or vice-versa when we've been eating animals for 1000s of years with no problem. I think its totally possible to respect the animals that you're going to eat. People and other animals dont eat meat because they're evil or greedy or because herbivores are made to be eaten. Its just... what they do. Call me some horrible kind of person but I think going for some sci-fi magic future like all those books talk about is a bit of a faux pas. They don't write about this because it's what's expected of us, but because it's over the top and impossible and that's what makes it feel wondrous. Plus I feel like this sort of thing is what many billionaires are going for. Should we be following in their footsteps? And many farmers like my faamly have bonds with the animals in question. Despite knowing we may one day kill them, we still treat them like family. I just feel like hunting/raising animals makes me feel more 'down to earth'.

[lakes]

Yeeaahh no. I'm sorry but I'm not for this lab cultured meat stuff. I feel like people are just supporting it because it's the "left-wing" thing to do and not really considering whether we want a world where we eat synthetic meat. It just feels stupid to blame capitalism on us eating meat or vice-versa when we've been eating animals for 1000s of years with no problem. I think its totally possible to respect the animals that you're going to eat. People and other animals dont eat meat because they're evil or greedy or because herbivores are made to be eaten. Its just... what they do. Call me some horrible kind of person but I think going for some sci-fi magic future like all those books talk about is a bit of a faux pas. They don't write about this because it's what's expected of us, but because it's over the top and impossible and that's what makes it feel wondrous. Plus I feel like this sort of thing is what many billionaires are going for. Should we be following in their footsteps? And many farmers like my faamly have bonds with the animals in question. Despite knowing we may one day kill them, we still treat them like family. I just feel like hunting/raising animals makes me feel more 'down to earth'.

I don't have a super strong opinion on lab grown meat because not enough is known about it yet. Plus I don't think people who eat animals are "evil" because there's a lot of reasons behind why we do, including our very survival. But at the same time, I feel like if a nonhuman animal was given the choice, they'd probably say no to being eaten which is why I say it's "worth a shot."
It's true that you can respect animals and still eat them. Plenty of indigenous cultures do & I'm sure some farmers treat their farm animals like pets or are cautious about its environmental effects. But there are varying levels to respect. I'm not saying which side respects animals more, just that people's respect for nonhuman animals tends to manifest itself differently to people's respect for humans. You are also right in saying that we shouldn't be jumping at the idea to recreate a "scifi utopia" without thinking of the consequences and maybe if we do this, we're removing the process of learning more about the animal we're consuming. But I don't think the people who support it are doing it "just because it's left wing." I've heard a lot of vegans and vegetarians cite things like environmental concerns and cognitive dissonance when it comes to the meat industry. I'm not saying they're right or wrong, but I think their arguments come from the same place as this thread.

[oro_junestar]

I feel like people are just supporting it because it's the "left-wing" thing to do and not really considering whether we want a world where we eat synthetic meat.

But I DO want to eat cultured meat, and I want this option to be available for others who do too. You're still allowed to hunt your own meat, I'm not at all proposing a ban on that or anything. Plus, there's a huge difference between a guy hunting his own dinner for the night vs. the exploitative billion-dollar meat industry. I fully agree that you can respect the animal you're eating, but the slaughter industry isn't respectful in the slightest.

Plus I feel like this sort of thing is what many billionaires are going for.

If that was true, cultured meat would already be the mainstream standard and they'd be advertising it so hard you'd grow sick of hearing it. You see how fast they crapped out genAI onto us?? Furthermore, why would they want to get rid of the slaughter industry when it's making them so much more money? To switch to cultured meat, they would need to abandon one of their biggest industries, invest money into researching how to efficiently grow the meat, then invest more into advertising this entirely new concept to the public. How would this benefit them?

[cyberfun1 (dizz)]

Look guys I know yall might not like what i said. Im fine with yall eating lab meat if it makes you feel happier about eating animals. But i don't like how yall say that people who eat meat are greedy and evil and that all people should JUST eat the lab grown stuff. It feels so lacking in nuance to how people interact with animals. I agree that factory farms are bad, but I dont feel like we should totally give up on animal husbandry because of that. I personally just don't want to eat the lab grown meat, and I'm sorry if my earlier reply didn't make that clear.

[arcus]

It just feels stupid to blame capitalism on us eating meat or vice-versa when we've been eating animals for 1000s of years with no problem.

The factory farmed animals of today do not resemble what was eaten in the past. The breeds raised are rather recent and different genetically. Pedigree broiler (meat) chickens were first bred in 1916 and can't reproduce naturally. The modern tradition of eating meat has ties in white supremacy and capitalism, with the demand for eating meat in western countries being drastically higher than the rest of the world.

I think its totally possible to respect the animals that you're going to eat.

But no one does. It's impossible to respect animals or any workers in the industry with the current demand of meat in western countries. The industry is not economically viable, and relies on government handouts. Raising animals requires years worth of food and water for each animal.

A core part of the agriculture industry as a whole is immigrants who can't speak their countries' primary language. They are effectively forced to work themselves into disability, because they can't reskill. The USA relies on immigrant workers to the point that 14% of the workforce have left out of fears of ICE.

They don't write about this because it's what's expected of us, but because it's over the top and impossible and that's what makes it feel wondrous.

It already exists. It's not widespread because farmers are pushing to ban it (some have succeeded,) and governments would rather spend money on farmers.

Plus I feel like this sort of thing is what many billionaires are going for. Should we be following in their footsteps?

Many more billionaires support meat.

Yeeaahh no. I'm sorry but I'm not for this lab cultured meat stuff. I feel like people are just supporting it because it's the "left-wing" thing to do and not really considering whether we want a world where we eat synthetic meat.

Cultivated meat is bioidentical. If that is not enough to be real meat, then the meat in stores is not real either. Factory farmed animals are fed supplements, and injected with hormones and antibiotics. Their living conditions are far removed from what any wild animal would experience in nature.

Animals dying is very low down on the list when it comes to problems in the industry.

I agree that factory farms are bad, but I dont feel like we should totally give up on animal husbandry because of that.

Cultivated meat is very unlikely to replace farmed meat in anyone's lifetime here.

But i don't like how yall say that people who eat meat are greedy and evil and that all people should JUST eat the lab grown stuff.

Where are people saying this?