With livestock farming for mass meat production contributing heavily towards climate change, many are looking for ways to make Earth better. While some citizens of Earth are fine with the harmful ways of meat production, some scientists are trying to perfect a solution: lab-grown meat.
We've already seen cultivated faux meat, which is like actual meat instead of vegan alternatives, create wonderful wagyu cuts. However, the folks at Good Meat want to expand exponentially. To do this, the company is building ten 250,000-liter bioreactors that can produce 15,000 tons of “meat” per year. Apparently, all of this will be done without killing an animal. However, there are definitely some technicalities there.
Good Foods' huge Lab-Grown Meat factory
As mentioned previously, Good Meat wants to produce 15,000 tons of lab-grown meat per year. This includes altered chicken and especially beef, the latter's production being horrendous for the environment.
Good Meat will be using huge bioreactors to grow the aforementioned 15,000 pieces of faux meat. The company's new US facility is aimed to be operational by 2024, reaching 11,800 tonnes a year by 2026 and 13,700 tonnes by 2030.
On top of battling the pollution created by meat production, the meat lab also aims to remove animal killing. Instead, cells cultivated from animals will be used to clone new meat, making burgers without killing anything... technically.
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For our grandchildren and the environment
Good Meat wants to hammer home the fact that they don’t want any more animals dying, bringing up how future generations will ask about barbaric tactics. The company is hoping to open a US branch later this year where they can offer their alternatives to chicken and beef for the public to try.
"I think our grandchildren are going to ask us about why we ate meat from slaughtered animals back in 2022," Josh Tetrick, the chief executive of Good Meat’s parent company told The Guardian.
Tetrick also brings up how manufactured meat will also mean a healthier environment for animals and humanity in general. He points out how manufactured meat could mean we won’t have to bulldoze any more forests, in addition to killing animals.
“Cultivated meat matters because it will enable us to eat meat without all the harm,” continues Tetrick. “Without bulldozing forests, without the need to slaughter an animal, without the need to use antibiotics, without accelerating zoonotic diseases.”
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The catch
While Good Meat won’t be killing any animals, there is an interesting catch to this. The Guardian confirms that Good Meat will still be using cells from cell banks and eggs to make the lab meat, which is toeing the line. You could argue that eggs aren’t alive until a certain amount of time but many would argue they’re still taking something from other animals.
Still, it might be the next best thing if Good Meat can get this approved. According to the report, it seems that the US still doesn’t allow cultivated meat so the company might have to do some waiting. Only time will tell.