SIR, Being contacted recently by a biotech startup company requesting muscle and skin samples of all farmed species from our on-farm butchery initiated some background research which confirmed they are involved (among other things) in the R&D of cultured meat as an alternative protein source.

Our gut reaction was why should we provide the raw cellular material from our farmed animals to culture a protein source for an industry that is clearly intended to displace ours?

There are hugely contradictory research results as to the climate, environmental, and nutritional benefits of this ‘pharma food’. This isn’t putting investors off. Billions are being invested in the R&D of ‘cultured meat’ by the likes of Cargill, Bezos, Gates. Indeed, the UK Government has recently awarded £38m of taxpayers’ money, including private investment, into a ‘hub’ for protein research. The market predictions are ‘big’. On the basis that (with humility) we learn best from our ‘adversaries’, how does this emerging ‘threat’ to our livelihoods reflect on our collective industry and are we prepared to learn from these reflections?

How is it that as the primary producers of protein (and much else), for time immemorial, we livestock farmers have evidently lost the agency to make the best case for ourselves, even with the supporting representations of QMS, NBA, NFUS etc?

The only way to keep our place in the market is to be clear and consistent with our messaging to address the critical market ‘drivers’ of cultured meat which at root are environment and welfare. This has to drive change in the way we demonstrate respect and management of our farmed environments and our farmed animals to deliver a clear message to consumers and policymakers.

If we want to make the environmental case as part of the ‘solution’ we must, across the board, address the environmental impact of what we are doing.

How we farm our animals must be able to demonstrate a clearly positive balance of environmental benefit (even with methane in the mix); impeccable welfare; and proven nutritional density.

Positive outcomes are achievable but we are not changing quickly enough to eliminate the negative environmental impacts of livestock farming (perceived and real). Until we do our message will remain mixed and unconvincing.

Incidentally, an early priority for the biotech start-up is cultured salmon meat, to address the environmental impact of salmon farming – now there’s a thought!

Denise Walton

Organic Farmers, Butchers and Charcutiers

Peelham Farm, Foulden