Why Cultivated Meat Matters for Economic Equality
- David Bell
- Jan 3
- 12 min read
The way we produce meat today is creating problems: 83% of farmland is used for animal agriculture, yet it only delivers 37% of the world’s protein and 18% of its calories. This system worsens economic inequality, harms local communities, and damages natural resources. Large corporations dominate the market, pushing small farmers aside, while underserved regions face higher food insecurity and environmental degradation.
Cultivated meat offers a solution. By growing meat from animal cells in controlled environments, it uses up to 95% less land, 96% less water, and cuts emissions by 78% to 96%. It can be produced locally, creating skilled jobs, reducing reliance on global supply chains, and improving food access. Costs are dropping fast, with production now nearing affordability compared to conventional meat. Governments, including the UK, are investing millions into this industry, with the potential to add £2 billion to GDP by 2030.
The shift to cultivated meat could transform food systems, but careful policy and funding are needed to ensure its benefits reach everyone, especially underserved regions.
How Industrial Meat Production Drives Economic Inequality
The global meat industry has a way of funnelling wealth out of local communities while funnelling profits into the pockets of distant shareholders. This imbalance, often referred to as a "productivist" model, prioritises maximising output through unsustainable monocultures. The long-term consequences for local populations, particularly in underserved regions, are often ignored [2]. Let’s dive into how this system perpetuates inequality and the specific impacts it leaves in its wake.
Environmental and Economic Damage in Underserved Regions
Industrial-scale animal agriculture doesn’t just disrupt ecosystems - it reshapes them entirely, often to the detriment of local economies. Multinational corporations, through vertical integration, control every aspect of production, from growing feed to processing meat. This consolidation of power sidelines local food producers and their traditional ways of working. Megan Frances Moss from Monash University highlights this imbalance:
"By undermining the role of individual food producers within their existing ecosystems and prioritising the needs of industrial processes and global markets, industrial models work to reinforce power asymmetries between those who grow and those who sell food and further alienate people from their environment." [2]
Land that once supported diverse, local food systems is often converted for large-scale, industrial use. This process displaces indigenous communities, stripping them of their autonomy and connection to the land [6]. The environmental toll - deforestation, soil degradation, and water scarcity - hits low-income regions hardest, where communities rely heavily on natural resources to survive [8]. Industrial agriculture also plays a significant role in pushing the Earth beyond its ecological limits [2].
But the damage isn’t just environmental. Traditional farming knowledge, honed over generations, is often lost as industrial methods take over. This creates a dependency on global markets and foreign technologies, leaving local populations with little control over their own food systems [6]. Instead of progress, this model dismantles economic self-reliance and leaves communities more vulnerable than before.
Barriers to Protein Access in Developing Economies
Industrial meat production doesn’t just harm ecosystems - it also makes protein less accessible in developing economies.
While proponents of industrial meat production argue it feeds the world more efficiently, the reality on the ground often tells a different story. Global supply chains for key feed ingredients like soybeans and cereals are tightly linked to demand in wealthier nations. As consumption rises in high-income countries, prices spike worldwide, making it harder for low-income regions to afford these staples [7].
At the same time, small-scale farmers and pastoralists - who traditionally provided affordable, locally sourced protein - are pushed out. They’re replaced by corporate systems that offer low-wage, unstable jobs instead of sustainable livelihoods. Food security, however, is about more than just calorie availability. It requires local control over food systems and the ability to produce food that meets a community’s needs [2]. The industrial model undermines this, deepening economic divides and leaving developing economies even more vulnerable.
How Cultivated Meat Addresses These Challenges
Industrial meat production has long been criticised for its impact on the environment, its contribution to economic inequality, and its failure to provide affordable protein on a global scale. Cultivated meat offers an alternative that sidesteps many of these issues by producing real meat without the vast land and resource demands of traditional farming.
What is Cultivated Meat?
Cultivated meat is created directly from animal cells, eliminating the need to raise and slaughter livestock. The process begins with a small sample of cells, which are grown in a bioreactor filled with essential nutrients. Over a few weeks, these cells develop into muscle tissue, resulting in meat that’s biologically identical to what you’d find in a butcher’s shop.
This method drastically reduces resource use compared to conventional livestock farming. For example, it requires up to 95% less land and between 82% and 96% less water. It also slashes greenhouse gas emissions by 78% to 96% [10]. Another advantage is flexibility - cultivated meat facilities can be set up in many locations, provided there’s a stable energy supply. This opens the door to decentralised, locally controlled meat production, reducing reliance on large-scale, resource-intensive farming systems.
Decentralised Production for Local Economies
Traditional meat production tends to be highly centralised, relying on a few large processing plants that are vulnerable to disruptions. Additionally, conventional red meat often travels vast distances - up to 20,400 kilometres in some cases - before it reaches consumers. This not only increases costs but also contributes to food loss, with refrigerated transport alone accounting for around 9% of food waste in North America [9].
Cultivated meat flips this model on its head. Production facilities can be established locally, even in areas without suitable grazing land [9]. Take Ivy Farm Technologies, for instance. In 2021, the company announced plans to produce 12,000 tonnes of cultured pork by 2025, equivalent to 170,000 pigs. Using technology developed at Oxford University, this initiative is expected to contribute around £2.1 billion to the UK economy by 2030 while cutting land use by 95% [3][10]. Beyond the environmental benefits, this decentralised approach supports local economies by creating skilled jobs in biotech and manufacturing, keeping tax revenues within communities, and preserving regional autonomy.
Cost Reduction and Scalability Trends
The cost of producing cultivated meat has plummeted in recent years. Back in 2013, Mosa Meat unveiled the first cultured beef burger with a staggering price tag of roughly £215,000. Fast forward to 2023, and the cost of producing a similar burger has dropped to around £8 [10].
Regulatory advancements have also played a key role. Singapore was the first country to approve a cultivated meat product in December 2020, with Eat Just launching its chicken nuggets at S$23 per serving. By 2022, production improvements had brought the price down to S$4 per serving [4]. Meanwhile, in 2021, Israeli start-up Future Meat Technologies opened a facility capable of producing 5,000 burger patties daily, with chicken breast production costs hovering around £2.80 each [10]. Analysts, including McKinsey, predict that cultivated meat could achieve price parity with conventional meat by 2030 [10].
Several factors are driving these cost reductions. Producers are moving from expensive pharmaceutical-grade inputs to more affordable food-grade alternatives. Plant-based growth media are replacing costly animal serums, and industrial-scale bioreactors - some holding 20,000 litres or more - are making large-scale production feasible [8][4]. Russ Tucker, Co-Founder of Ivy Farm Technologies, highlights the environmental advantages:
"Cultivated meat is estimated to cause up to 92 per cent fewer carbon emissions and use 95 per cent less land than intensively farmed produce." [10]
As production costs continue to fall, cultivated meat is becoming a more accessible and sustainable protein source, particularly for underserved regions. These advancements not only address environmental concerns but also create opportunities for local communities to benefit economically, paving the way for a more equitable food system.
Economic Benefits for Underserved Regions
Cultivated meat production offers a practical solution for areas where traditional livestock farming isn't viable, bringing economic opportunities and addressing food security challenges.
Job Creation and Economic Diversification
The rise of cultivated meat is paving the way for a wave of skilled jobs in fields like bioprocessing, tissue engineering, and bio-manufacturing. Unlike traditional livestock farming, which relies heavily on manual labour in rural areas, this industry demands expertise in engineering, laboratory techniques, and quality control. For instance, Oxford Economics estimates that the UK cultivated meat sector could add over £2 billion to GDP by 2030, alongside generating up to £523 million in tax revenues [3].
This transition, however, calls for significant upskilling of workers from traditional farming backgrounds [5][2]. Governments worldwide are starting to acknowledge the potential of this shift. In October 2021, the US Department of Agriculture allocated a five-year, $10 million grant to Tufts University to establish the National Institute for Cellular Agriculture [4]. Similarly, in April 2022, the Dutch government made a historic €60 million investment in cellular agriculture, marking the largest public funding in the field to date [4]. By enabling local protein production in areas unsuitable for traditional farming, cultivated meat not only diversifies regional economies but also strengthens community resilience against food shortages.
Improving Food Security and Access
Beyond creating jobs, cultivated meat significantly enhances local food security by stabilising production cycles. Unlike conventional livestock farming, which is heavily influenced by global commodity markets, cultivated meat operates on a much quicker and more predictable timeline. While raising livestock can take months or even years, cultivated meat production is completed within 2 to 4 weeks [9]. This rapid turnaround enables communities to adapt swiftly to changing demand or supply chain disruptions.
The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the fragility of centralised meat processing. During the early months, plant closures caused a 20% drop in US beef production, while the Consumer Price Index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs jumped by 9.28% between March and June 2020 [9]. Cultivated meat offers a more resilient alternative, as highlighted by Nicolas Treich, a researcher at Toulouse School of Economics:
"Since cultured meat can be produced indoors during unfavourable external conditions, such as natural disasters, it may lower global food insecurity." [1]
Additionally, the controlled environment of cultivated meat facilities eliminates foodborne pathogens and reduces the reliance on antibiotics, which could lower healthcare costs tied to zoonotic diseases [1].
Economic Comparison: Conventional vs. Cultivated Meat
Feature | Conventional Livestock Farming | Cultivated Meat Production |
Employment Type | Manual labour, seasonal, and rural-focused | Skilled technical roles in bioprocessing and engineering |
Cost Stability | Prone to fluctuations due to feed prices, climate, and disease | Greater stability with controlled industrial inputs |
Regional Adaptability | Dependent on land quality, climate, and water resources | Viable in urban, remote, or non-arable areas |
Production Timeline | 5–10 months (pigs); 18–24 months (cattle) | 2–4 weeks per cycle |
Supply Chain | Long, complex, and vulnerable to disruptions | Short, localised, and more resilient |
Cultivated meat offers a compelling economic alternative, particularly in underserved regions. By creating stable, skilled jobs and reducing dependence on the unpredictable nature of traditional meat markets, it has the potential to transform local economies while addressing food security concerns.
Policy Support and Global Trends
Governments worldwide are increasingly recognising cultivated meat as a strategic area for investment, redirecting public funds to strengthen food security and boost economic growth. This shift from relying primarily on private venture capital - which hit US$1.9 billion in 2021 - to significant public funding highlights a growing commitment to the sector [4]. Such policy developments create opportunities for advocacy groups to promote a more equitable and resilient food system.
Government Incentives and Investments
Public funding for cellular agriculture is gaining momentum. The Netherlands has taken a notable step with a €60 million investment, the largest public funding commitment in this field to date [4]. In the United States, the Department of Agriculture awarded a US$10 million, five-year grant to Tufts University to establish the National Institute for Cellular Agriculture [4]. These investments are helping to refine production methods, a key step towards achieving cost competitiveness with traditional meat [8][14].
The UK is also emerging as a key player in this growing industry. Since 2012, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has channelled at least £43 million into alternative protein research, with 65% of that funding allocated between January 2022 and May 2023 [13]. In June 2022, UKRI and Innovate UK introduced the "Alternative Proteins Roadmap", which outlines priorities for investment and strategies to navigate regulatory challenges [11]. Experts believe that swift regulatory approvals will be essential for the UK to unlock the sector's full potential, including its forecasted £2 billion contribution to GDP by 2030 [3].
Globally, Singapore and the United States are leading the charge in regulatory approvals, driving innovation in agricultural technology [3][12]. In the UK, there is growing pressure on the Food Standards Agency to adopt "regulatory sandboxes", a concept borrowed from the financial sector, to allow companies to test new products with consumers more efficiently [13].
The Role of Advocacy Movements
Alongside public investment, advocacy groups play a vital role in turning policy into practical and fair solutions. These organisations work to ensure that government initiatives and funding translate into economic opportunities for local communities.
The Good Food Institute Europe has been a key player, advocating for national plans to support alternative proteins, increased public research funding, and regulatory reforms that foster innovation in the food sector [13].
The Cultivarian Society (https://cultivarian.food) complements these efforts through public education and policy advocacy. By promoting cultivated meat as a response to the ethical, environmental, and social issues tied to industrial farming, the organisation helps build public understanding and support for policies aimed at reducing economic inequality. Their vision is grounded in compassion, science, and consumer choice, aiming for a more inclusive and sustainable food system.
Advocacy movements also champion decentralised, community-focused production models to ensure that the economic benefits stay within local areas rather than being absorbed by large corporations [8][2]. As Herrero and colleagues aptly put it:
"The transformational power of a technology depends on the economic and political context, the needs of the society and its socio-economic conditions" [4].
Conclusion
Cultivated meat offers a promising way to address pressing global challenges like environmental degradation, food insecurity, and economic inequality. By using 10 times less land and cutting carbon emissions by up to 40 times compared to traditional beef production, this approach could free up around 36% of Earth's habitable land currently devoted to livestock. This land could then be used for biodiversity restoration, carbon capture, or small-scale farming practices that prioritise ecological balance and community needs[15].
The decentralised nature of cultivated meat production also holds the potential to transform underserved regions. By enabling local protein manufacturing, it strengthens food security, reduces dependence on fragile global supply chains, and supports sustainable local economies. In the UK, for example, the cultivated meat industry is forecasted to contribute over £2 billion to GDP by 2030, alongside generating an estimated £523 million in tax revenue within its first decade[3].
However, the benefits of this technology won’t automatically translate into equity. As highlighted by Nature Biotechnology:
"Governments should act to shape its future according to public interests in sustainable agriculture and food security"[15].
To prevent monopolisation and ensure these benefits are widely shared, public funding, open-source research, and community-driven production models are essential. With global demand for meat expected to surge by 73% by 2050[15], it’s evident that conventional farming methods cannot keep pace sustainably. This makes the need for systemic change all the more urgent.
Advocacy groups play a crucial role in driving this transformation. The Cultivarian Society (https://cultivarian.food) champions a vision of a food system built on compassion, science, and choice - where real meat can be produced without slaughter. Through education, policy advocacy, and public engagement, they aim to ensure that cultivated meat becomes a tool for empowerment, not inequality. The potential is immense, but realising it depends on taking decisive, collective action today.
FAQs
How can cultivated meat help reduce economic inequality?
Cultivated meat offers a promising pathway to reshaping the food system, making it fairer and more inclusive while driving economic growth. In the UK alone, this emerging sector could add over £2 billion to the economy by 2030, generate £523 million in tax revenue, and create highly skilled jobs in areas like bioprocessing, engineering, and logistics. These advancements could particularly benefit regions that have historically received less investment in cutting-edge industries.
What sets cultivated meat apart from traditional farming is its efficiency. It demands less land and involves lower initial costs, making it an appealing option for small-scale entrepreneurs. This shift could result in more affordable protein sources for low-income communities, providing a sustainable alternative that doesn’t compromise on quality. By reducing reliance on unpredictable markets and large agribusinesses, cultivated meat also paves the way for cooperative and community-driven production models, empowering underserved populations.
The Cultivarian Society envisions a future where cultivated meat doesn’t just offer meat without slaughter but also plays a key role in building a food system that promotes economic opportunity and social equity.
How does cultivated meat benefit the environment compared to traditional meat production?
Cultivated meat presents a promising way to address environmental concerns tied to traditional livestock farming. It could significantly cut greenhouse gas emissions, use far less land and water, and help curb deforestation and biodiversity loss - issues often linked to conventional meat production.
By creating real meat without relying on large-scale animal farming, this approach offers a path to a more sustainable food system. It tackles critical environmental challenges while keeping up with the increasing global need for protein.
How does cultivated meat help create jobs in underserved areas?
Cultivated meat production has the potential to breathe new life into underserved areas, turning them into bustling hubs of employment through the establishment of local production facilities. These facilities demand a diverse range of skills, creating roles for biotechnologists, cell-culture technicians, logistics coordinators, and quality-assurance officers - jobs that might currently be scarce in such regions.
The ripple effect doesn't stop there. The industry also fuels indirect employment in sectors like supply chains, packaging, transportation, and essential community services such as training programmes and equipment maintenance. In the UK alone, forecasts indicate that a thriving cultivated meat industry could add £2 billion to the economy by 2030, while contributing up to £523 million in tax revenue. By setting up these facilities in areas lacking traditional farming or manufacturing opportunities, the sector can provide stable, well-paying jobs, support local food production, and help bridge economic disparities.
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