Could growing animal cells in factories cut meat’s environmental footprint? That is the promise of companies developing cultured meat, and the hope of those advocating for policies and investment to back it. But what could this mean for livestock farmers? Might there be any benefits? What do farmers think about cultured meat?

Every plausible path to achieving net zero in the UK – while also meeting biodiversity and other targets – relies on using less land for livestock farming and animal feed, and eating less meat. While most people in the UK already eat more than enough protein, in practice swapping meat for alternatives made from plants or other ingredients is seen as essential to achieving such a transition. Cultured meat offers the prospect of one day substituting imperceptibly. This report from the Royal Agricultural University examines all of this and includes case studies of conversations with livestock farmers.