Lab Grown Meat Gets Cheap

It was science fiction. Then it was an expensive stunt. Now it is feasible. Soon it may be economical. Stem cell technology has enabled the ability to grow body parts without using a living animal. Some are using it to grow nerves and organs. A lab in the Netherlands has been working on growing meat. Lab grown meat is also no-kill meat. If economical, it can dramatically reduce the need for ranches and farms, reduce the environmental impact of growing livestock feed, returning acreage to human food production or nature, reduce the spread of animal-borne diseases, reduce the pollution generated by living animals, and reduce killing. In a recent study, the price has come down from $331,400 to $10 for a burger. After mass-production begins, the price should reduce again. There are other consequences that must be resolved. Lab grown meat puts ranchers out of business and increases the profits to the corporations that can afford the labs. Some regions rely on animal manure for fertilizer. Many ranchers are feeding regions that won’t be able to afford the labs. The meats are expected to hit the market within the next five years.

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“Dead Or Alive – Who Knows” – Grist