tag:theconversation.com,2011:/es/topics/meat-1899/articlesMeat – The Conversation2024-01-23T17:16:13Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2209212024-01-23T17:16:13Z2024-01-23T17:16:13ZMeat and dairy industry giants hold the plant power behind many vegan brands<p>“Cast a vote for a greener planet, lower food bills, better health and kindness to animals. And you don’t even have to wait for a general election,” states the global <a href="https://veganuary.com/">Veganuary</a> campaign that encourages people to eat plant-based throughout January. </p>
<p>Transforming the world’s food system through large-scale reduction in meat production is essential if we are to preserve the planet’s natural ecosystems. But I don’t believe Veganuary’s solution is the way to do that. </p>
<p>While the switch to eating vegan food may seem empowering, it places an unrealistic pressure upon consumers to drive the shift to plant-based foods. By failing to highlight the state-backed corporate power at the heart of the food system, Veganuary arguably disempowers its followers. </p>
<p>In collaboration with Charis Davis, MA student in development studies at SOAS University of London, I researched the ownership structure and marketing strategies of several plant-based food companies. We found that many brands that are celebrated for sustainable plant-based food production are owned by giant meat and dairy companies implicated in allegations of large-scale environmental destruction. </p>
<p>Take <a href="https://vivera.com/">Vivera</a>, a pioneer in plant-based food. The Dutch company produces a wide range of vegetarian and vegan food, such as vegan hot dogs, plant salmon fillets, Tex Mex strips and vegan steak. The Vivera website suggests that consumers should buy vegan products to “make a huge difference for human health and the wellbeing of the planet” and states that “you can improve the world with every bite you take by eating plant-based foods”.</p>
<p>However, Vivera’s online marketing and product packaging do not highlight to consumers that it is owned by JBS, the world’s largest meat producer. Every day <a href="https://www.iatp.org/documents/behind-curtain-jbs-net-zero-pledge">JBS’s global operations slaughter</a> 8.7 million birds, 92,600 hogs and 42,700 head of cattle, according to the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, a US-based thinktank.</p>
<p>JBS’s purchase of Vivera in 2021 does not signify a move away from meat. Shortly after acquiring the plant-based food company, it announced plans to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/brazils-jbs-buy-plant-based-meat-company-vivera-341-mln-euros-filing-2021-04-19/">invest US$130 million</a> in two of its US beef processing plants, to increase cattle slaughtering capacity by around 300,000 a year. <a href="https://www.globalwitness.org/en/blog/big-beef-watch/">JBS</a> is the <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/20/climate/amazon-deforestation-jbs.html&source=gmail-imap&ust=1705593311000000&usg=AOvVaw2DSZS3UHuMbEwdH97G0uqM">biggest purchaser</a> of cattle from the Amazon, and therefore a major contributor to deforestation. </p>
<p>Another case in point is Alpro. The well-known manufacturer of vegan dairy products was bought by Danone in 2017 <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/danone-switch-dairy-factory-plant-based-alpro-diets-shift-2021-11-17/">in response to the growing popularity of milk alternatives</a>. But the language on <a href="https://www.alpro.com/uk/good-for-the-planet/">Alpro’s website</a>, for example “doing your bit with every bite or sip”, seems at odds with <a href="https://www.danone.com/brands/dairy-plant-based-products/strategy-and-key-figures.html">Danone’s claims</a> to be the number one leading brand worldwide for fresh dairy products.</p>
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<img alt="Row of cows in shed eating from pile of food." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/570914/original/file-20240123-15-41cscq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/570914/original/file-20240123-15-41cscq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/570914/original/file-20240123-15-41cscq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/570914/original/file-20240123-15-41cscq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/570914/original/file-20240123-15-41cscq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/570914/original/file-20240123-15-41cscq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/570914/original/file-20240123-15-41cscq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Some vegan dairy products are owned by traditional dairy producers.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/cows-on-farm-winter-dairy-cowshed-1895146129">SGr/Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>Cow’s milk creates three times more greenhouse gas emissions, uses ten times as much land and twice as much freshwater than plant-based alternatives, according to calculations by the website <a href="https://ourworldindata.org/environmental-impact-milks">Our World in Data</a>. </p>
<p>While Danone is expanding into the plant-based market, this does not imply a retreat from its core dairy product lines. As one <a href="https://www.fooddive.com/news/danones-big-runway-for-growth-is-built-on-brand-relevance-n-america-ce/593897/">food industry newsletter</a> put it: “The company … is looking to cross-promote its plant-based and traditional dairy beverages to households where individuals dabble in both categories.”</p>
<p>Both cases exemplify a broader trend where giant meat and dairy-based conglomerates, including JBS and Danone, are buying up smaller plant-based food companies as part of their corporate expansion strategies, according to a 2022 <a href="https://www.ipes-food.org/pages/politicsofprotein">report by IPES-Food</a>, a coalition of food system experts. </p>
<p>At present, meat and dairy producers are supported by mega state subsidies. In the EU and US, livestock farmers receive about <a href="https://www.cell.com/one-earth/fulltext/S2590-3322(23)00347-0">1,000 times more</a> subsidies than plant-based and cultivated meat producers. </p>
<p>Yet Veganuary’s apolitical stance ignores the support the meat and dairy industries receive from rich-country governments. While the planet desperately needs a major shift away from meat production and consumption, mega food corporations probably won’t be the ones to lead the transition to a greener planet. </p>
<h2>How to support plant-based food production</h2>
<p>A significant step change would require governments to do at least three things. First, they should impose hefty fines upon and potentially confiscate the land of corporations that damage the environment through meat and dairy production. </p>
<p>Second, governments should reorient subsidies into plant-based food production instead of supporting agro-industrial meat production. Third, they should expand public welfare to help cash-strapped consumers to buy plant-based products. </p>
<p>Such moves may seem farfetched, but in the context of the existential threat of climate breakdown, they are arguably quite moderate. However, success requires strong political leadership, something that has been sidelined by Veganuary’s celebration of consumer power. </p>
<p>We urgently need to channel the growing public awareness of the environmental damage wrought by the current food system, through voting and large-scale social movements, into a political force that paves a way forward for genuinely climate-friendly diets.</p>
<p><em>In response to the issues raised by this article, a spokesperson for Danone said:
“At Danone, we stand by the fact that both dairy and plant-based foods can contribute to a healthy sustainable diet. With many more people choosing to diversify their food choices, our portfolio allows us to provide a wide range of dairy and plant-based options to best meet their different needs and inspire healthy and sustainable choices in both categories.”</em></p>
<p><em>Veganuary and JBS were both approached for comment but no response has been received.</em></p>
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<img alt="Imagine weekly climate newsletter" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Benjamin Selwyn does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>A sustainable food system starts with a fairer corporate structure. It won’t simply come from a shift in consumer habits during Veganuary’s push for people to eat a more plant-based diet. Here’s why.Benjamin Selwyn, Professor of International Relations and International Development, Department of International Relations, University of SussexLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2210622024-01-23T17:16:11Z2024-01-23T17:16:11ZVeganuary’s impact has been huge – here are the stats to prove it<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/570658/original/file-20240122-27-aqeohr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Is the Veganuary campaign really driving changes in British eating habits?</span> </figcaption></figure><p>Since launching in 2014, Veganuary has <a href="https://veganuary.com/en-us/record-number-of-people-worldwide-participate-in-veganuary-2023/">boasted increasing sign-ups</a> year on year. But what’s the evidence that the campaign that encourages people to adopt a vegan diet during January is really taking a bite out of the meat market?</p>
<p>More than 700,000 people signed up in 2023, and it’s likely that these figures – which only account for people who officially signed up on the Veganuary website – represent just a fraction of all those who took part without signing up.</p>
<p>Veganuary is a campaign which encourages people to try veganism in January. The Veganuary charity, a UK-based non-profit behind the campaign, counts Deborah Meaden, Joaquin Phoenix and Chris Packham among its ambassadors. </p>
<p>In a paper we <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0950329323000484">published last year</a>, we highlighted Veganuary as the most well-known and participated-in meat-free challenge. More than three quarters of British people have heard of Veganuary. </p>
<p>One in ten have considered taking part, and 6% claim to have taken part. That equates to around four million people – significantly more than the official participation numbers.</p>
<p>So why has Veganuary succeeded where so many other efforts to curb our problematic meat consumption have failed? There are two reasons, as outlined in our <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195666321007194">recent study</a>. </p>
<p>First, Veganuary invites people to try a vegan diet at a time of year when people are often open to trying healthy new habits. Capitalising on an annual time of change can help to overcome any inertia that normally prevents people trying vegan diets.</p>
<p>Second, Veganuary is a social experience. People can connect with others attempting the same challenge. The sense of camaraderie and community is something that Veganuary participants frequently comment on having enjoyed.</p>
<p>Encouragingly, Veganuary’s survey of participants indicates that 98% would recommend the experience to a friend. Moreover, 78% of participants intended to cut their previous animal product consumption at least in half beyond the end of January, and 25% said they intend to stay vegan.</p>
<p>So, Veganuary makes sense in terms of social psychology. Lots of people have taken part, and plenty say they’ll cut down on meat in the longer term. But what evidence is there that Veganuary has made a real impact on dietary habits?</p>
<p>Veganuary’s rapid rise has been concurrent with a broader trend towards veganism and meat reduction in the UK. Total per capita meat consumption <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(21)00228-X/fulltext">fell 17% from 2008 to 2019</a>, at the same time as <a href="https://bryantresearch.co.uk/insight-items/uk-protein-transition/">sales of vegetarian food increased significantly</a>. </p>
<p>The recent increase in the number of people embracing meat-free diets in the UK is shown in the graph below – in particular, the number of vegans has <a href="https://www.finder.com/uk/uk-diet-trends">increased 370%</a> in the past five years.</p>
<p>So Veganuary came to exist and grew rapidly during a time of increasing UK interest in veganism. Could that have been a simple coincidence?</p>
<p>Researchers at the London School of Economics looked at <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/3626EAA8987FBD49CB1841ECE4C74B5C/S2398063X23000271a.pdf/effects_of_veganuary_on_meal_choices_in_workplace_cafeterias_an_interrupted_time_series_analysis.pdf">more than 2 million meals</a> sold in workplace cafeterias between 2016 and 2022. Crucially, the workplaces began their Veganuary campaigns halfway through this period, in 2019. The researchers estimated that Veganuary increased sales of vegan products by 86–113% in the the 2019-2022 campaigns, and had a lasting impact on sales of vegan products</p>
<p>Sales data from <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3900/91/1/76">200 UK supermarkets</a> indicate that, during Veganuary 2023, sales increased for plant-based foods which were on promotion, but not for those which were not on promotion, according to a University of Oxford study. </p>
<p>Veganuary has also increased sales of plant-based products at UK grocery stores. A team at the University of Surrey studied <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/public-health-nutrition/article/does-promoting-plantbased-products-in-veganuary-lead-to-increased-sales-and-a-reduction-in-meat-sales-a-natural-experiment-in-a-supermarket-setting/CB44968AAD1E86856D01CA47A7BC884D">sales of plant-based and animal products</a> at 154 UK grocery stores from November 2020 until March 2021 and found that Veganuary increased sales of plant-based products by a huge 57% during January. </p>
<p>Sales also remained 15% higher after Veganuary compared to before the month-long campaign. That said, there was no significant change in meat consumption observed during the same period.</p>
<p>Curious about Veganuary’s far-reaching impact, I searched Google News to estimate the number of published news stories about veganism during January compared to the rest of the year. In January, there was an average 66% increase in the number of media articles about veganism compared to other months between 2015 and 2020 – evidence that Veganuary increases public attention on veganism-related issues.</p>
<p>Next, I used Google Trends to investigate seasonal trends in the number of people actively seeking out information on veganism. The data in the graph shows some of the clearest evidence yet for the Veganuary effect, with clear spikes in search activity every January. Moreover, interest appears to begin rising right around the time that Veganuary began in 2014.</p>
<p>Finally, I tracked down the dataset from an unpublished <a href="https://plantbasednews.org/culture/engineer-predicts-uk-vegan-2030/">survey of vegans conducted in 2019</a>, because I knew it contained data on a very specific question. The survey, which the researcher kindly shared with me, asked more than 2,000 vegans when they changed their diet, to the nearest three-month period. </p>
<p>Using this data, I created this graph, which shows clear spikes, with more people turning vegan in the first quarter of the year, and an increase starting around (or slightly before) Veganuary began in 2014.</p>
<p>One piece of data stands out most of all. When Veganuary asked participants about their number one motivation for taking part, 18% said the environment, and 21% said their health – but 40% said animal welfare.</p>
<p>Indeed, the data indicates that the messages inspiring the most dietary change are not about carbon emissions, but <a href="https://www.vegansociety.com/get-involved/research/research-news/animal-cruelty-messages">about animal cruelty</a>. Almost nobody in the UK views common animal farming practices <a href="https://bryantresearch.co.uk/insight-items/acceptability-of-farming/">as acceptable</a>, yet while cow burps are within the range of acceptable dinner party conversation, knives in throats typically are not.</p>
<p>Meat consumption largely remains a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195666321007194">social norm</a> but that may well be about to shift. The <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/abs/10.1126/science.aas8827">social tipping point</a> whereby enough people adopt a new norm for it to catch on is estimated to be around 25%. In the UK, the number of people consuming meat-free diets is now <a href="https://www.finder.com/uk/uk-diet-trends">up to 14%</a>. Veganuary could soon nudge us towards a vital cultural tipping point.</p>
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<img alt="Imagine weekly climate newsletter" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Chris Bryant is the Director of Bryant Research, which works with alternative protein companies and animal protection non-profits to advance the protein transition. </span></em></p>As the plant-based campaign celebrates its tenth anniversary, researchers are analysing how Veganuary could be having a substantial impact on British diets.Chris Bryant, Honorary Research Associate, Department of Psychology, University of BathLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2209262024-01-16T14:55:36Z2024-01-16T14:55:36ZWhy South Korea is banning the sale of dog meat<p>The South Korean dog meat trade will officially end in 2027 after a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/09/south-korea-votes-to-ban-production-and-sale-of-dog-meat">bill was passed</a> making the slaughter of dogs and the sale of dog meat for human consumption illegal in the country (though the consumption of dog meat will still be legal). People who violate this new law could be fined up to 30 million won (about £18,000) and be jailed for three years.</p>
<p>The news has been embraced in South Korea as a long-awaited victory by many animal protection organisations. But it has also been received very negatively by pro-dog-meat associations, as the livelihoods of dog meat farmers and retailers will be directly affected by this legislation. </p>
<p>Dog meat is the <a href="https://www.press.purdue.edu/9781612497075/">fourth-most consumed meat</a> in South Korea after pork, beef and chicken. However, the practice of eating dogs has been in sharp decline over the past few decades and has divided South Korean society for more than half a century. </p>
<p>For some, the trade represents resistance against cultural imperialism. For others, it is an obstacle to modernity. All the while, little attention is given to the fate of other animals whose death and commodification as meat are largely normalised and accepted.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A bowl of dog meat soup." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/569279/original/file-20240115-23-jei9my.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/569279/original/file-20240115-23-jei9my.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=404&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/569279/original/file-20240115-23-jei9my.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=404&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/569279/original/file-20240115-23-jei9my.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=404&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/569279/original/file-20240115-23-jei9my.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=507&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/569279/original/file-20240115-23-jei9my.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=507&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/569279/original/file-20240115-23-jei9my.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=507&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Bosintang is a traditional Korean soup that uses dog meat as its primary ingredient.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/boshintang-korean-soup-that-includes-dog-499106899">Fanfo/Shutterstock</a></span>
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<h2>Stigmatisation of a practice</h2>
<p>Dog consumption has a long history in Korea. Some Korean scholars point to the excavation of dog bones from Korean relics dating to the Neolithic age (roughly from 6000BC to 2000BC) as <a href="https://www.press.purdue.edu/9781612497075/">evidence</a> that dogs have been eaten since at least that period.</p>
<p>But an important moment of national and international friction around the practice occurred in the run-up to the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games. The South Korean government at the time <a href="https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/D/bo3637968.html">banned the sale</a> of dog meat temporarily in the traditional markets of the capital and asked dog meat retailers to remove dog carcasses from their stalls to avoid offending foreigners. </p>
<p>This decision was <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10649867.2018.1547959">widely criticised</a> by part of South Korean civil society who saw it as a form of cultural imperialism reminiscent of colonial times when many Korean cultural traditions were erased or stigmatised. This episode aroused feelings of national pride and protection towards the consumption of dog meat.</p>
<p>It was followed by a stronger reaction during the 2002 Fifa World Cup (which was co-hosted by South Korea). Influential South Korean public and political figures <a href="https://muse.jhu.edu/article/629658">took a public stance</a> in favour of dog meat as a national cultural symbol. </p>
<p>Tensions were further reignited before the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, a city in the country’s north-east. It was <a href="https://koreandogs.org/pc2018-sign-project/">reported</a> that the hiding of dog meat restaurant signs and dog carcasses had once again been introduced by the government. </p>
<h2>A practice in sharp decline</h2>
<p>However, there’s no denying that dog meat consumption in South Korea has slumped dramatically, particularly since 2000. In 2002, <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07256868.2010.491272">3 million dogs</a> were slaughtered for consumption in South Korea per year. According to animal protection group, Kara, this had fallen to <a href="https://www.animals.or.kr/report/press/51382">just under 1 million</a> by the early 2020s – a third of what it was more than 20 years ago. </p>
<p>In recent decades, a <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07256868.2010.491272">civil movement</a> led by animal protection charities has campaigned for the end of the trade. This movement has largely been supported by younger generations who, perhaps also influenced by the development of “pet culture”, are more inclined to challenge centuries of tradition than previous generations.</p>
<p>It could be argued that the COVID pandemic has also played a part in the sharp fall in dog meat consumption in recent years. Until the outbreak of COVID, live animals, including dogs, were often sold and slaughtered in traditional markets. Since then, municipal authorities have opened a dialogue with dog retailers to negotiate the demolition of dog slaughtering facilities. </p>
<p>Ongoing research conducted by one of us (Julien Dugnoille) alongside colleagues (Frédéric Keck and Miwon Seo-Plu) suggests that the pandemic may have facilitated a move away from the status quo on dog meat consumption. This shift has created a discussion around the end of the practice as a way to keep urban spaces free from the risk of diseases that can be spread between animals and humans.</p>
<h2>The perspective of the dog farmers</h2>
<p>Since 2014, some of these municipalities have agreed to compensate dog meat retailers for closing dog meat stalls in traditional markets. However, now that a full ban is coming into effect, dog meat farmers are requesting compensation schemes as this new law will directly affect their livelihoods.</p>
<p>The Korean Dog Meat Association has been <a href="https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2023/12/113_364963.html">arguing</a> that the bill represents an abuse of power that overlooks the perspective of many South Koreans, and that it infringes on the right to choose what one wants to eat. Last December, the Association demanded compensation for farmers of 2 million won per individual dog (about £1,200) and a grace period of ten years after the ban.</p>
<p>While the ban may be good news for Korean dogs, dog lovers and for animal protectionists, it adversely affects those whose livelihoods depend on the domestic trade and who have practised the profession for generations. </p>
<p>The change does not necessarily mean an end to the consumption of dog meat in South Korea. Dog meat consumption will continue to be lawful (presumably supplied by imported meat). </p>
<p>Still, this is a milestone for the Korean relation to dogs that cements the dog’s privileged status, in contrast to other animals whose commodification as meat remains normalised and invisible.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/220926/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Julien Dugnoille received funding from the Korea Foundation and the Academy of Korean Studies to conduct part of the research on which this paper is based.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>John Knight does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>A new law has been introduced that officially brings dog meat to an end as a commodity in South Korea.Julien Dugnoille, Senior Lecturer in Anthropology, University of ExeterJohn Knight, Reader in Anthropology and Ethnomusicology, Queen's University BelfastLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2159662023-11-01T00:06:07Z2023-11-01T00:06:07ZClimate labels similar to cigarette packet warnings could cut meat consumption – new research<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/556682/original/file-20231030-27-g9p3x0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C4992%2C3000&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/a-hamburger-with-a-flag-sticking-out-of-it-C11orazi2QQ">Valerie Sidorova/Unsplash</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>There was a time when smoking cigarettes was not only a normal thing to do, it was actually <a href="https://www.history.com/news/cigarette-ads-doctors-smoking-endorsement">encouraged by doctors</a>. Eventually, the evidence caught up.</p>
<p>A similar thing has happened with meat over the last couple of decades. Recent statements by the <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/2019/08/Fullreport-1.pdf">Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change</a> (IPCC) and <a href="https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/climate-change/who-manifesto-for-a-healthy-and-green-post-covid-recovery_4d85f26a-73db-46b7-a2a5-9854ca6faa64.pdf?sfvrsn=f32ecfa7_8&download=true">World Health Organization</a> (WHO) have confirmed that meat damages human health and the planet. But as with tobacco in the 1960s and 70s, this scientific knowledge has taken time to filter into consumer behaviour.</p>
<p>Messages such as “smoking kills” and “smoking causes blindness” alongside a graphic image have been legally required on all tobacco products in the UK since 2008. These warning labels helped <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4819662/#:%7E:text=GWLs%20are%20more%20effective%20than,and%20reduction%20in%20smoking%20rates.">reduce</a> the number of smokers nationally. Could something similar work to reduce meat consumption? And if so, what is the best thing to warn people about?</p>
<figure class="align-left ">
<img alt="A cigarette packet with a graphic warning label depicting tooth decay." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/556666/original/file-20231030-19-8q84wk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/556666/original/file-20231030-19-8q84wk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=840&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/556666/original/file-20231030-19-8q84wk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=840&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/556666/original/file-20231030-19-8q84wk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=840&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/556666/original/file-20231030-19-8q84wk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1056&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/556666/original/file-20231030-19-8q84wk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1056&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/556666/original/file-20231030-19-8q84wk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1056&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Warning labels on cigarette packets tend to depict the gruesome health consequences of smoking.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/reading-united-kingdom-september-29-2018-1193375464">Roger Utting/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195666323024881?via%3Dihub">In a new study</a>, we found that graphic warning labels cut the selection of meat meals by 7%-10% when they described the consequences of meat-eating for health, disease epidemics and climate change.</p>
<h2>What’s worth warning about?</h2>
<p>Warning labels on meat packaging or menus could highlight evidence that a relatively high intake of meat products <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/article-abstract/2759737">increases the risk</a> of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and according to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8246598/">one study</a>, dementia. There is also evidence of red and processed meat consumption leading to a greater risk of developing <a href="https://ajcn.nutrition.org/article/S0002-9165(23)66119-2/fulltext">type 2 diabetes</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6416048/">obesity</a> and <a href="https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/diet-and-cancer/does-eating-processed-and-red-meat-cause-cancer">multiple cancers</a>.</p>
<p>Or, these labels could warn people that meat farming <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13280-020-01497-4">dramatically increases</a> the risk of a pandemic. Outbreaks of zoonotic diseases (which jump from animals to humans, such as COVID-19 or swine flu) are more likely to emerge where animals are kept in extremely close contact. And as farms expand into wild land, species deprived of habitats migrate into towns and cities where encounters with people are more likely.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Laying hens eating corn from a trough in battery cages." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/556652/original/file-20231030-19-ythx0s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/556652/original/file-20231030-19-ythx0s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=276&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/556652/original/file-20231030-19-ythx0s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=276&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/556652/original/file-20231030-19-ythx0s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=276&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/556652/original/file-20231030-19-ythx0s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=347&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/556652/original/file-20231030-19-ythx0s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=347&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/556652/original/file-20231030-19-ythx0s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=347&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Poultry farms have been implicated in the spread of virulent bird flu strains.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/laying-hens-eating-corn-battery-cage-2252068595">Arshindi/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Labels on meat products and menus could also warn people of the environmental damage wrought by meat consumption. Livestock farming is estimated to be responsible for up to <a href="https://www.fao.org/3/i3437e/i3437e.pdf">15% of all greenhouse gas emissions</a> arising from human activity. The Committee on Climate Change, which advises the UK government, has <a href="https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/2023-progress-report-to-parliament/#recommendations-to-government">said</a> meat consumption should fall by 20% by 2030 and 35% by 2050 to reach the country’s net zero target. </p>
<h2>Testing the labels</h2>
<p>In a recent study, we asked 1,001 UK meat-eaters to choose between four options for 20 meals in an online questionnaire. Participants had to confirm their preference by clicking an image of a meat, fish, vegetarian or vegan option for meals including burgers, curries, lasagna and pasta bakes.</p>
<p>To gauge the impact of graphic warning labels on the number of people opting for meat, we split participants into four groups. One group saw a warning label beneath the meat option depicting a deforested area and the phrase “eating meat contributes to climate change”. Another group saw the meat option labelled with an image of a man having a heart attack and the text “eating meat contributes to poor health”. A third group saw a label below the meat option depicting caged animals in a wet market, alongside “eating meat contributes to pandemics”. The final group saw the four meal options with no labels.</p>
<p>When no warning label was presented, participants chose the meat options about two out of three times (64%). This figure dropped to 54% with the pandemic warning labels, 55% with the health warning labels and 57% with the climate warning labels.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A cattle lot seen from above." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/556673/original/file-20231030-17-87za8o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/556673/original/file-20231030-17-87za8o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/556673/original/file-20231030-17-87za8o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/556673/original/file-20231030-17-87za8o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/556673/original/file-20231030-17-87za8o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/556673/original/file-20231030-17-87za8o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/556673/original/file-20231030-17-87za8o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Beef ranching destroys forests and is a source of methane – a potent greenhouse gas.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/aerial-view-cow-feed-southern-midwest-1830464591">Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Government interventions to encourage people to eat less meat <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272494422000627#fig1">can be controversial</a>, so the question remains as to which label might be the most suitable for a public awareness campaign. In follow-up questions, participants indicated that they did not oppose climate warning labels on meat, but were less supportive of labels referring to the health and pandemic risks of meat consumption.</p>
<p>While more research is needed to replicate and confirm these findings, we now have some evidence to suggest that introducing climate warning labels may be both effective at affecting meal choices and relatively acceptable to the public. </p>
<hr>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="Imagine weekly climate newsletter" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><strong><em>Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?</em></strong>
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<hr><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/215966/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jack Hughes is affiliated with the Green Party.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Mario Weick and Milica Vasiljevic do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Labels highlighting the health and pandemic risks of meat were also effective.Jack Hughes, PhD Candidate in Behavioural Science, Durham UniversityMario Weick, Professor of Behavioural Science, Durham UniversityMilica Vasiljevic, Associate Professor of Behavioural Science, Durham UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2151122023-10-06T15:15:47Z2023-10-06T15:15:47ZMeat tax: no UK politician is calling for one – but maybe they should<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/552524/original/file-20231006-23-uii7xt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C5760%2C3837&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/fresh-raw-red-meat-butcher-127556858">ESB Professional/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>No prominent UK politician has proposed taxing meat, <a href="https://fullfact.org/news/claire-coutinho-labour-meat-tax/">despite</a> government ministers <a href="https://www.indy100.com/politics/tory-joke-nonexistent-meat-tax">insinuating</a> it is Labour party policy. Levels of meat consumption are a problem though. And while Conservative MPs might assume it’s a proposition the public would baulk at, research on the feasibility of meat taxes isn’t so clear-cut.</p>
<p>Eating large quantities of red and especially processed meat is unhealthy and <a href="https://theconversation.com/meat-tax-why-taxing-sausages-and-bacon-could-save-hundreds-of-thousands-of-lives-every-year-106399">increases your risk</a> of developing a number of diseases. Public sentiment <a href="https://www.grocerygazette.co.uk/2022/02/15/factory-farming-opposed/">overwhelmingly condemns</a> the intensive animal farming practices that generate cheap meat products – even if that concern does not always translate into fewer purchases (researchers have dubbed this the “<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-meat-paradox-how-your-brain-wrestles-with-the-ethics-of-eating-animals-175683">meat paradox</a>”). </p>
<p>Livestock farming contributes to numerous <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aam5324">environmental problems</a>, from deforestation and biodiversity loss to pollution and climate change. </p>
<p>But when a meat tax is suggested to stem these problems, by reducing meat demand and financing more sustainable alternatives, such a policy tends to be interpreted as an assault on consumer freedoms or hard working taxpayers.</p>
<p>In new research, we investigated two claims that are often made in the political debate: that a meat tax <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43016-023-00849-z">necessarily harms low-income households</a> and that introducing one is <a href="https://journals.plos.org/climate/article?id=10.1371/journal.pclm.0000291">politically impossible</a>. We found that neither stands up to scrutiny.</p>
<h2>Not so taxing</h2>
<p>Is a meat tax unfair? Since low-income households spend a larger share of their earnings on food, taxes on meat might be expected to hit them harder. </p>
<p>But whether a tax disadvantages poorer households ultimately depends on how the revenues it raises are used. Channelling it back to consumers in monthly or annual payments directly to their bank accounts, similar to the idea of paying out “<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-018-0201-2">climate dividends</a>” from money raised by taxing carbon emissions, would mean poorer people benefit on average. </p>
<p>That is because richer households spend more on meat in absolute terms. Hence, they contribute more to the common pot of revenues that is then shared equally between everyone – as a result, most people on low incomes would have more money than before the tax reform.</p>
<p>Lowering value-added taxes on fruit and vegetables, under discussion in a few <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/germany-considers-tax-cut-to-lower-food-prices/a-64429699">European countries</a>, lessens the burden on low-income consumers, although it does not reverse it completely, which is why redistribution is necessary.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Carrots stacked in a wooden box in a farm field." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/552525/original/file-20231006-25-qfibig.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/552525/original/file-20231006-25-qfibig.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/552525/original/file-20231006-25-qfibig.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/552525/original/file-20231006-25-qfibig.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/552525/original/file-20231006-25-qfibig.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/552525/original/file-20231006-25-qfibig.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/552525/original/file-20231006-25-qfibig.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Meat and dairy are more heavily subsidised in the EU than fruit and vegetables.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/wooden-crate-fresh-ripe-carrots-on-1503789764">New Africa/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Our research found that meat tax rates set at levels comparable to those of carbon pricing in the UK power sector have a very small effect per person, amounting to extra expenditure of less than £10 a month on average. </p>
<p>In any case, price interventions on meat and other emissions-intensive foods are <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-meat-tax-is-probably-inevitable-heres-how-it-could-work-188023">probably needed</a> to meet environmental targets in the food sector. And ensuring they are designed to benefit the under-resourced could be crucial for garnering sufficient support.</p>
<h2>Package sensibly</h2>
<p>Is a meat tax politically impossible in the UK? Actually, other industrialised countries, facing the same problems with levels of meat consumption, are already doing or planning to do something similar.</p>
<p>New Zealand, where approximately <a href="https://environment.govt.nz/publications/new-zealands-greenhouse-gas-inventory-19902021-snapshot/#:%7E:text=The%20Agriculture%20and%20Energy%20sectors%20contributed%20the%20most%20to%20New,per%20cent%20of%20gross%20emissions.">half of all greenhouse gas emissions</a> come from animal agriculture, will <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/interactive/2023/new-zealand-cows-burps-methane-tax/">price emissions</a> in this sector from 2025, effectively introducing a tax that will predominantly increase the price of meat products. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, the meat industry is no different from the tobacco or oil industries when it comes to spreading misinformation. One <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306919222000173">study</a> found organisations representing the UK meat industry had led the public astray using a number of framings in their public communication strategies. </p>
<p>These were: “the harmfulness of meat consumption is still open for debate” (it isn’t); “most people need not worry about the health risks” (they should); “you should keep eating meat to be healthy” (there’s no need); “there is no need to cut down on how much meat you eat to be green” (there is).</p>
<p>Public aversion to government intervention on meat is understandable in this context. And consumers alone <a href="https://scientificadvice.eu/advice/towards-sustainable-food-consumption/">should not shoulder</a> the burden of making the food system more sustainable.</p>
<p>Fortunately, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43016-020-0047-4">research</a> shows that it is still possible to win over the public with clever policy packaging. For example, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43016-020-0047-4">survey data shows</a> financing higher animal welfare standards and phasing out subsidies for environmentally harmful farming practices could sway public opinion on price interventions on meat products.</p>
<p>Other countries have followed this strategy. In Germany, there is <a href="https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/2096">strong public demand</a> for improving animal welfare. </p>
<p>A government commission there recommended an animal welfare levy – a uniform tax on all meat products, with the proceeds to be spent on raising livestock rearing standards. <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43016-023-00696-y">Research</a> indicates that, for Germans, animal welfare is a more compelling justification for introducing meat taxes than climate change.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Calves with yellow ear tags in an industrial lot." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/552526/original/file-20231006-19-a2squl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/552526/original/file-20231006-19-a2squl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/552526/original/file-20231006-19-a2squl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/552526/original/file-20231006-19-a2squl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/552526/original/file-20231006-19-a2squl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/552526/original/file-20231006-19-a2squl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/552526/original/file-20231006-19-a2squl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Public desire to improve animal welfare standards trumps climate motives.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/industrial-livestock-calves-cattle-farm-1762043801">Ehasdemir/Shutterstock</a></span>
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</figure>
<p>In Denmark, a transition to plant-based diets is not seen as particularly controversial. The parliament <a href="https://foodnationdenmark.com/news/denmark-invests-over-eur-90-million-in-fund-for-development-of-plant-based-foods/">recently passed</a> a roughly £80 million fund for developing and promoting plant-based foods. </p>
<p>In the UK, a sugar tax on soft drinks was passed and proved <a href="https://bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12916-019-1477-4">successful</a> in cutting sugar consumption. This shows there is no political barrier to making a meat tax work if political parties allow a sober and nuanced debate on this issue.</p>
<p>To make the cuts to meat consumption required for better public health, greater animal welfare and a stable climate, taxing meat in some form is <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-meat-tax-is-probably-inevitable-heres-how-it-could-work-188023">inevitable</a>. To make such a measure more palatable, a winning formula would deliver on public demand for higher animal welfare standards, redistribute the revenue to benefit low-income consumers and <a href="https://theconversation.com/meat-and-dairy-gobble-up-farming-subsidies-worldwide-which-is-bad-for-your-health-and-the-planet-174644">shift farming subsidies</a> towards fruit and vegetables. </p>
<p>And let’s think of a different name for it. An animal welfare levy, or sustainable farming levy, might just work.</p>
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<img alt="Imagine weekly climate newsletter" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<hr><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/215112/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Linus Mattauch receives funding from the Robert Bosch Foundation. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Franziska Funke does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Let’s just call it something different.Franziska Funke, Associate Doctoral Researcher in Environmental Economics, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact ResearchLinus Mattauch, Assistant Professor in Environmental Economics, Technical University of Berlin and Honorary Research Associate, School of Geography and Environment, University of OxfordLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2130862023-09-11T15:42:22Z2023-09-11T15:42:22ZEating insects: the UK seems much more reluctant than the EU to let this industry flourish<p>Like it or not, there are lots of good arguments for eating insects – both in animal feeds and on human plates. You can <a href="https://sefari.scot/blog/2023/06/14/insects-as-animal-feed-in-scotland">farm them</a> with much less land, water and feed than the likes of cows and sheep. Their <a href="https://theconversation.com/eating-insects-can-be-good-for-the-planet-europeans-should-eat-more-of-them-190042#:%7E:text=To%20produce%20a%20kilogram%20of,less%20agricultural%20land%20than%20beef.">greenhouse gas emissions</a> are significantly lower, while they <a href="https://www.eatgrub.co.uk/why-eat-insects/">are also high</a> in protein and essential minerals. </p>
<p>Eating insects makes all the more sense at a time when the global population is still expanding and <a href="https://www.statista.com/chart/28251/global-meat-production/">demand for meat</a> is on the up and up. Yet particularly in the UK, the industry has been held back by regulators dragging their feet. </p>
<p>So what’s the problem and what needs to happen in the years ahead?</p>
<h2>The insect boom</h2>
<p>The biggest market in the west at present is in processed insect products like crickets, black soldier flies and mealworms for animal feeds. As well as the nutritional and environmental benefits, they <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6523592/">also make</a> farm animals bulkier pound for pound than traditional feeds like soya. Admittedly, soya feed is <a href="https://betterorigin.co.uk/2021/09/soy-feed-vs-insect-feed-for-poultry-which-one-is-better/#:%7E:text=Is%20soy%20feed%20cheaper%20than,times%20at%20an%20affordable%20price.">currently cheaper</a>, though not necessarily when you consider hidden costs like deforestation and food miles. </p>
<p>The global market for insect protein was worth around US$540 million (about £432 million) in 2022. According to <a href="https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-insect-protein-market">one recent forecast</a> it will hit US$1.4 billion by 2029, with <a href="https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/insect-protein-market">Europe making up</a> around a fifth of the market. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/1148059/forecast-of-insect-protein-production-in-europe-food-and-feed/">Europe produced</a> fewer than 2,000 metric tons of insect protein in 2018, but is expected to reach a staggering 1.2 million tons by 2025, with <a href="https://meticulousblog.org/top-10-companies-in-edible-insects-market/">France’s Ynsect</a> having set up the largest insect farm in the world. This is on the back of EU rule changes that have made it possible for farmers to include insects in feeds for <a href="https://ipiff.org/insects-eu-legislation/">pigs, poultry</a> and <a href="https://www.michelmores.com/agriculture-insight/insect-protein-animal-feed/">fish farms</a>. </p>
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<p>The UK makes up nearly one tenth of European demand for insect protein, at least according to <a href="https://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/4650667/u-k-edible-insect-and-insect-protein-market">2018 data</a> (I haven’t been able to source anything more recent). The UK rules for using insects in animal feeds are mainly based on EU regulations, but we’ve been seeing some divergence since Brexit that could well hinder the growth of the market. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.michelmores.com/agriculture-insight/insect-protein-animal-feed/">In 2017</a> the EU and UK permitted seven species of insect to be used as feeds in fish farms for the first time. These included black soldier flies, common houseflies and several species of mealworms and crickets. Black soldier flies and to a lesser extent yellow mealworms are now being farmed in various locations in the UK, from <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/cricket-farm-london-ontario-1.6506606">London</a> to <a href="https://www.betabugs.uk/">Edinburgh</a>. </p>
<p>Yet more recent EU changes have not been mirrored in the UK. Silkworms were added to the EU list <a href="https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32021R1925">in 2021</a>, but are not yet permitted in the UK. The <a href="https://ipiff.org/insects-eu-legislation/">EU move</a> the same year to permit processed insect protein to be fed to pigs and poultry intended for human consumption has <a href="https://www.food.gov.uk/research/the-future-of-animal-feed-animal-by-products-and-insects">not been followed</a> in the UK either. This means that farmers’ only option if they want to use insects is to feed live ones to their animals. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.wwf.org.uk/sites/default/files/2021-06/The_future_of_feed_July_2021.pdf">According to</a> the World Wildlife Fund For Nature (WWF), deregulating the UK market could be transformational. UK farms used just 21,000 tons of insect meal in 2021 for fish farms, pigs and poultry, nearly 6,000 tons of which was from insects reared in the UK. In contrast, livestock alone are fed <a href="https://www.wwf.org.uk/sites/default/files/2022-06/future_of_feed_full_report.pdf">around 2.5 million tons</a> of soya each year. </p>
<p>With deregulation, the WWF thinks that demand for insect protein by 2050 could be well over 500,000 tons, with half supplied within the country. This would cut British reliance on soybean imports by about 20%, reducing deforestation in places like Latin America. It would also potentially create job opportunities in the UK. </p>
<h2>My research</h2>
<p>In <a href="https://sefari.scot/blog/2023/06/14/insects-as-animal-feed-in-scotland">my recent research</a> I talked to ten insect-related experts in the UK about the state of play, including farmers, feed producers and academic researchers. In particular, feeding live insects to animals is not appealing to many farmers. It’s more inconvenient and time-consuming, and costs more because farmers have to purchase insect eggs or larvae – plus live insects have a short shelf-life compared to traditional animal feeds. </p>
<p>In relation to the costs involved in insect farms, some interviewees said the controlled environments required in the UK were expensive in terms of energy requirements and labour. Others said insect production could be energy efficient with the right equipment. Interviewees also reported it is hard to find information on insect farming, the latest regulations and so on. </p>
<p>In addition, interviewees saw a need to educate both consumers and farmers. This doesn’t necessarily have to be an uphill struggle. In Scotland, for instance, <a href="https://www.wageningenacademic.com/doi/10.3920/JIFF2016.0032">one 2017 study</a> of 180 people found that over 80% were more than happy for insects to be included in feeds for salmon. </p>
<p>Finally, interviews highlighted some under-researched areas, such as <a href="https://www.eurogroupforanimals.org/files/eurogroupforanimals/2023-03/The_future_of_insect_farming__where%E2%80%99s_the_catch__final_ver.pdf">the welfare</a> of the insects being farmed and the effect on the animals being fed them. For instance, sceptics question whether rearing many thousands of insects on waste <a href="https://thehumaneleague.org.uk/article/farmed-insects-animal-feed-criticism#:%7E:text=However%2C%20there%20are%20major%20concerns,a%20problem%2C%20not%20a%20solution.">might introduce</a> new pathogens into the food chain.</p>
<p>Another area needing further exploration is feeding insect protein to cows and sheep. <a href="https://www.wageningenacademic.com/doi/pdf/10.3920/JIFF2022.x006">Some say</a> this would be completely unworkable for the digestive systems of herbivores, though it <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8471967/">has been argued</a> that it could help reduce the amount of methane they produce. </p>
<h2>The opportunity</h2>
<p>Despite the challenges, my interviewees saw the potential for insects to help with the circular economy by rearing them <a href="https://www.tescoplc.com/blog/exploring-the-use-of-insects-as-an-alternative-protein-for-animal-feed">on food waste</a>. Other positives included the fact that the gut microbiome of black soldier-fly larvae can be beneficial to hens’ health. </p>
<p>There was also some discussion about the potential to broaden into other markets. For instance, insect excrement (frass) can be used <a href="https://www.mannainsect.com/frass-as-a-business-opportunity/">as a premium fertiliser</a>. There is also potential in areas such as pet foods and human protein supplements. </p>
<p>As for humans eating insects, <a href="https://www.just-food.com/features/insect-food-makers-believe-consumers-are-getting-the-bug/#:%7E:text=A%202022%20One%20Poll%20survey,more%20widely%20into%20food%20products.">many people are open</a> to the idea, but the law has been somewhat unclear since Brexit. The Food Standards Agency has <a href="https://www.food.gov.uk/our-work/consultation-on-transitional-arrangements-for-edible-insects-in-great-britain-summary-of-stakeholder-responses">temporarily permitted</a> insects to be sold for human consumption pending a more long-term decision due by December. A green light would be a very useful step forward and bring the UK into line with the EU.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/213086/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Pattanapong Tiwasing receives funding from SEFARI (Scottish Environment, Food and Agriculture Research Institutes). </span></em></p>The UK and EU moved in lockstep over edible insect regulation until Brexit, but that has changed in recent years.Pattanapong Tiwasing, Lecturer in Data Analytics and Economics, Keele UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2067032023-07-19T20:00:18Z2023-07-19T20:00:18ZThe cost of living is biting. Here’s how to spend less on meat and dairy<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529723/original/file-20230602-29-gl9j3e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=44%2C71%2C5946%2C3763&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/s-Z-h0fEiBM">Jose Ignacio Pompe/Unsplash</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The cost of groceries has risen substantially <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/economy/price-indexes-and-inflation/monthly-consumer-price-index-indicator/may-2023">over the last year</a>. Food and non-alcoholic drinks rose by 7.9% in the year to May, with biggest increases in dairy products (15.1%), breads and cereals (12.8%) and processed foods (11.5%). </p>
<p>Meat costs rose by 3.8%, but the absolute increase was high, with a kilo of fillet steak costing up to A$60 for a kilogram. </p>
<p>Australians spend around <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/6530.0Main+Features12009-10?OpenDocument">15% of their weekly food budget</a> on meat and half that (7.4%) on dairy products.</p>
<p>About <a href="https://www.finder.com.au/cost-of-living-report">43% of householders</a> say grocery prices are a cause of financial stress, with half trying to reduce spending. </p>
<p>So how can you save money on meat and dairy products without skimping on nutrients? </p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-save-50-off-your-food-bill-and-still-eat-tasty-nutritious-meals-184152">How to save $50 off your food bill and still eat tasty, nutritious meals</a>
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<h2>Meat</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/five-food-groups/lean-meat-and-poultry-fish-eggs-tofu-nuts-and-seeds-and">Meat</a> is a good source of protein, iron, zinc and vitamin B12. </p>
<p>Recommendations are for a maximum of three serves of cooked lean red meat a week. This includes beef, lamb, veal, pork, or kangaroo, with a serve being 65g cooked, which equates to 90–100g raw. This means purchasing 270–300g per person per week. </p>
<p>Check prices online and weekly specials. Less expensive cuts include oyster blade, chuck or rump steak ($22–$25 per kilogram). They can be tougher, making them better for casseroles or slow cook recipes, like this <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/healthy-easy-recipes/clares-slow-cooked-beef-stroganoff">beef stroganoff</a>. </p>
<p>One exception is mince because higher star, lower fat, more expensive products shrink less during cooking compared to regular mince, which shrinks by 25–30%. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Spaghetti bolognese" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/538153/original/file-20230718-19-z7b8ng.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/538153/original/file-20230718-19-z7b8ng.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538153/original/file-20230718-19-z7b8ng.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538153/original/file-20230718-19-z7b8ng.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538153/original/file-20230718-19-z7b8ng.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538153/original/file-20230718-19-z7b8ng.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538153/original/file-20230718-19-z7b8ng.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Higher star mince shrinks less during cooking.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/_CO7YZ501g4">Emanuel Ekstrom/Unsplash</a></span>
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<p>Extend casserole and mince dishes by adding vegetarian protein sources, such as dried or canned beans and legumes. </p>
<p>A 400g can of red kidney beans costs about $1.50 and contains 240g of cooked beans, equivalent to 1.6 standard serves. Add a can of any type of legume (black, adzuki, cannelloni, butter, chickpeas, four-bean mix, brown lentils) or use dried versions that don’t need pre-soaking like dried red lentils at about $5 per kilogram. </p>
<p>This <a href="https://www.glnc.org.au/resource/legumes-nutrition/">adds nutrients</a> including protein, B vitamins, iron, zinc, calcium, magnesium and dietary fibre. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/love-meat-too-much-to-be-vegetarian-go-flexitarian-73741">Love meat too much to be vegetarian? Go 'flexitarian'</a>
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</em>
</p>
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<h2>Dairy</h2>
<p>Dairy products are important sources of protein, calcium, magnesium, zinc, potassium and vitamins A, B2 and B12. <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/how-much-do-we-need-each-day/recommended-number-serves-adults">Australian recommendations</a> are for two to three serves a day for adults and four serves for women over 50. One serve is <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/how-much-do-we-need-each-day/serve-sizes">equivalent to</a> a cup of milk or 40g cheese. </p>
<p>Fresh milk costs between $1.50 and $3.00 per litre depending on type and brand, while UHT milk is cheaper, about $1.60 per litre. It’s even cheaper to buy powdered milk ($10 per kilogram pack, which makes ten litres), equating to $1 per litre.</p>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="Yoghurt with lemon and herbs" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/538152/original/file-20230718-17-ac6uje.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/538152/original/file-20230718-17-ac6uje.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=912&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538152/original/file-20230718-17-ac6uje.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=912&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538152/original/file-20230718-17-ac6uje.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=912&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538152/original/file-20230718-17-ac6uje.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1146&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538152/original/file-20230718-17-ac6uje.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1146&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538152/original/file-20230718-17-ac6uje.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1146&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Substitute sour cream with yoghurt.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/NFHeBysjCTI">Michelle Henderson/Unsplash</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Making yoghurt at home costs about $5–6 per kilogram using a powder mix and yoghurt maker ($25). Once set, divide into smaller tubs yourself. Use as a substitute for cream or sour cream. </p>
<p>Fresh yoghurt varies from $11–$18 per kilogram, with individual serves and flavoured varieties more expensive (but not always). Compare per kilogram or per 100g prices and check for specials.</p>
<p>Cheese prices vary a lot so compare prices per kilogram. As a guide, block cheese is cheaper than pre-sliced or grated cheese. Home brand products are cheaper than branded ones. Mature cheeses are more expensive and processed cheese least expensive. But, if you cut block cheese really thick you end up using more. Block cheese ranges from $15 to $30 a kilogram, while packets of pre-sliced cheese vary from $18 to over $30. </p>
<p>Pre-grated cheeses range from $14 to $30 per kilo, with most around $20, and processed cheese varies from $10 to $15. Extend grated cheese by mixing with grated carrot (about $2 a kilogram) and use as a topper for tacos, wraps, pasta and pizza. Use processed cheese slices for toasted sandwiches. Most recipes work adding less cheese than specified. </p>
<p>A high-calcium alternative to cheese in sandwiches is canned salmon, but at $15–$30 per kilogram ($6–$7 per 210g can) you add variety but may not save money. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/eggs-are-so-expensive-right-now-what-else-can-i-use-207837">Eggs are so expensive right now. What else can I use?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>3 tips to save on your food bills</h2>
<p><strong>1. Have a household food budget</strong> </p>
<p>Ensure everyone is on the same page about <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/hacks-myths-faqs/how-to-save-money-at-the-supermarket">saving money on food and drinks</a>. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.suncorpgroup.com.au/news/features/food-for-thought-australians-spend-272-billion-on-food-annually">About 50% of household food dollars</a> are spent on takeaway, eating out, coffee, alcohol, food-delivery services and extras, so have a budget for <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/discretionary-food-and-drink-choices">discretionary</a> food items. This is where you can make big savings. </p>
<p>Your household might need an incentive to stick to the budget, like voting on which “discretionary” items food dollars get spent on. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Woman in a mask grocery shops, with a list on her phone" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/538151/original/file-20230718-7745-lld5oc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/538151/original/file-20230718-7745-lld5oc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=480&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538151/original/file-20230718-7745-lld5oc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=480&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538151/original/file-20230718-7745-lld5oc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=480&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538151/original/file-20230718-7745-lld5oc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=603&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538151/original/file-20230718-7745-lld5oc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=603&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538151/original/file-20230718-7745-lld5oc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=603&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Have a food budget and agree on the discretionary items.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/tWXH_zGJrPo">Viki Mohamad/Unsplash</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><strong>2. Have a rough weekly meal plan</strong> </p>
<p>Use your meal plan to write a grocery list. Check <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/hacks-myths-faqs/ingredient-swaps-to-limit-supermarket-trips-during-lockdown">what you already have</a> in the pantry, fridge and freezer. </p>
<p>If you’re not sure where to start, look at ours at <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au">No Money No Time</a>, <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/hacks-myths-faqs/take-our-nmnt-2-week-food-budget-challenge-and-eat-for-55-a-week">either for one person</a> or a <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/ebooks-meal-plans-more/feeding-a-growing-family-on-a-budget-meal-plan-1">family with young children</a>. </p>
<p><strong>3. Avoid food waste</strong> </p>
<p>Australians <a href="https://www.ozharvest.org/food-waste-facts/">waste 7.6 million tonnes of food</a> each year yet 70% is edible. Before heading to the shops, check your <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/hacks-myths-faqs/creating-kitchen-space-for-christmas-and-preventing-food-waste-too">fridge</a>. </p>
<p>Turn <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/hacks-myths-faqs/managing-kitchen-stock-and-using-leftovers-to-minimise-food-waste">leftovers</a> into tomorrow’s lunch or dinner. When clearing the dinner table, pack leftovers straight into lunch containers so it’s grab and go in the morning (or freeze for days you’re too busy to cook). </p>
<p><em>Use our resources at <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/hacks-myths-faqs?search=budget">No Money No Time</a> for ideas on how to help your food dollars go further. If you need food help right now, the <a href="https://askizzy.org.au/">Ask Izzy</a> website can locate services in your area.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/206703/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Clare Collins AO is a Laureate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Newcastle, NSW and a Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI) affiliated researcher. She is a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Leadership Fellow and has received research grants from NHMRC, ARC, MRFF, HMRI, Diabetes Australia, Heart Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, nib foundation, Rijk Zwaan Australia, WA Dept. Health, Meat and Livestock Australia, and Greater Charitable Foundation. She has consulted to SHINE Australia, Novo Nordisk, Quality Bakers, the Sax Institute, Dietitians Australia and the ABC. She was a team member conducting systematic reviews to inform the 2013 Australian Dietary Guidelines update and the Heart Foundation evidence reviews on meat and dietary patterns.</span></em></p>Food prices are rising and around half of Australians are trying to cut back on their grocery bill. So how can you save on the cost of meat and dairy products without skimping on nutrients?Clare Collins, Laureate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of NewcastleLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2092342023-07-16T20:00:36Z2023-07-16T20:00:36ZTalking about eating less red and processed meat provokes strong feelings. That’s why this new evidence-based report is welcome<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/537222/original/file-20230713-24-5i48tc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=7%2C0%2C4813%2C3216&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Emotions can <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34588091">run high</a> when the topic of how much red and processed meat to eat is raised. For many of us, eating these foods is <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195666315001166?casa_token=VNY4M7HKk9cAAAAA:dNNXkbFr6wo5Q8gb1EG7J2kB379GhNJVZ23ArvxhFLlsm-_2K_mEacVE8PLUr-UZRIX7EGmBaBw">culturally important</a> – often tied to specific dishes and traditions.</p>
<p>That’s why this week’s landmark <a href="https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240074828">new report</a> from the World Health Organization (WHO) is welcome. The report focuses explicitly on what the science says about how red and processed meat affects our health – and the health of the ecosystems on which we depend. </p>
<p>What does it say? Moderation is important. In high-income countries, we tend to eat too much red meat, which boosts the risk of some cancers and heart disease. We should treat processed meat, such as salami, with even greater caution, as the link to cancer risk is even clearer.</p>
<p>If you want a quick take-home, it’s this: eat less red meat, avoid processed meat and choose meat farmed under better conditions. But this is not always easy or affordable for everyone. So most importantly, we need changes to the policies that affect how our food systems operate so that our well-being and the health of the planet are prioritised.</p>
<h2>What does the evidence say about red meat and our health?</h2>
<p>Red meat is a rich source of many <a href="https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/61245">important nutrients</a>, including iron, B-vitamins and all essential amino acids. These are compounds essential for human growth, development and good health.</p>
<p>Importantly, these nutrients are not exclusively found in red meat. <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2022.806566/full">Beans and legumes</a> are also high in iron and B-vitamins, though in less easily absorbed form. Many cultures have developed healthy diets without an over-reliance on red meat by including beans and legumes. </p>
<p>In populations that experience food insecurity, red meat can be an important source of nutrition. In these contexts, it doesn’t make sense to advise people to avoid red meat.</p>
<p>But in other parts of the world, red meat intake is too high. Australians are some of the world’s biggest <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352550922002147?via%3Dihub">red meat eaters</a>, which puts us at higher risk of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35291893/">chronic diseases</a> such as bowel cancer and cardiovascular disease. Both of these are amongst Australia’s top killers. </p>
<p>Processed and ultra-processed meats such as ham and chicken nuggets come with even greater health risks, especially when consumed in excess. The WHO considers processed meat a <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/cancer-carcinogenicity-of-the-consumption-of-red-meat-and-processed-meat">Group 1 carcinogen</a>. That means there’s strong evidence linking consumption to cancer risk.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.fao.org/3/cc0639en/cc0639en.pdf">way we produce</a> red and processed meat comes with a host of other health issues, such as antimicrobial resistance due to overuse of antibiotics, as well as the risk of new zoonotic animal-to-human diseases. Intensive farming done on industrial scales poses <a href="https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev.publhealth.29.020907.090904">particular risks</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/537224/original/file-20230713-17-4hds6p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="processed meats" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/537224/original/file-20230713-17-4hds6p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/537224/original/file-20230713-17-4hds6p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537224/original/file-20230713-17-4hds6p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537224/original/file-20230713-17-4hds6p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537224/original/file-20230713-17-4hds6p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537224/original/file-20230713-17-4hds6p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537224/original/file-20230713-17-4hds6p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Processed meat consumption has a clear link to cancer.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>What does the evidence tell us about red meat and the environment?</h2>
<p>Ruminant livestock need grass, which often means farmers chop down the trees or shrubs previously there, making pasture inhospitable for native species. In feedlots, these animals are often fed on grains or soy. Producing the volumes needed - of both animal feed and livestock - means felling more forests. That’s why we can clearly link increased livestock farming to <a href="https://www.unnutrition.org/wp-content/uploads/Livestock-Paper-EN_WEB.pdf">damaged biodiversity</a>. </p>
<p>There are issues on the climate front, too. Livestock production accounts for <a href="https://www.fao.org/3/i3437e/i3437e.pdf">up to 78%</a> of all greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture. Of this, cattle farming <a href="https://academic.oup.com/af/article/10/4/14/5943514">contributes 80%</a>. </p>
<p>In Australia, livestock farming is generally less intensive compared to the United States. Even so, deforestation to make room for cattle is still a major issue in Australia. In the last five years, <a href="https://unearthed.greenpeace.org/2021/12/15/australia-beef-deforestation-climate-brexit-trade-deal/">13,500 hectares</a> have been cleared for beef cattle operations in Queensland alone.</p>
<p>It doesn’t have to be so destructive. Mixed farming systems, where <a href="https://theconversation.com/intensive-farming-is-eating-up-the-australian-continent-but-theres-another-way-130877">cattle graze</a> on land covered by trees and native grasses, is less destructive. </p>
<p>So are farming methods built around <a href="https://theconversation.com/regenerative-agriculture-is-all-the-rage-but-its-not-going-to-fix-our-food-system-203922">agro-ecological principles</a> where the health of the land and fairness <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13593-020-00646-z#:%7E:text=FAO%20(2018d)%20first%20described%20the,2020">are prioritised</a>. </p>
<p>As global heating escalates, it will pose increasing challenges for livestock farmers (and livestock animals). Increases in extreme weather have <a href="https://academic.oup.com/af/article/9/1/3/5272569">major implications</a> for animal welfare, farmer livelihoods and food security. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/537223/original/file-20230713-15-4hds6p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="grassy woodlands cattle" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/537223/original/file-20230713-15-4hds6p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/537223/original/file-20230713-15-4hds6p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=405&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537223/original/file-20230713-15-4hds6p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=405&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537223/original/file-20230713-15-4hds6p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=405&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537223/original/file-20230713-15-4hds6p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=509&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537223/original/file-20230713-15-4hds6p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=509&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537223/original/file-20230713-15-4hds6p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=509&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Grassy eucalypt woodlands used for cattle farming in subtropical Queensland.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Tara Martin</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>What does the evidence say about industrial farming?</h2>
<p>Many farmers care greatly about the welfare of their animals and the environment. </p>
<p>But meat production in many parts of the world is now <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1462901122002490">dominated by large corporations</a>. To maximise production, these companies rely on intensive farming techniques such as feedlots and extensive use of antibiotics. These techniques are spreading as low- and middle-income countries such as China and Brazil gain more appetite for meat. </p>
<p>Industrial scale farming comes with real costs. If we can make meat production better, we will lower the risk of antimicrobial resistance and zoonotic diseases, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss, and improve the lives of workers and the animals themselves.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/organic-grass-fed-and-hormone-free-does-this-make-red-meat-any-healthier-92119">Organic, grass fed and hormone-free: does this make red meat any healthier?</a>
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<h2>Knowing this, what should we do?</h2>
<p>If we leave the situation as it is, intensive farming and red and processed meat consumption will continue to increase. </p>
<p>But this is not sustainable. To improve the health of people and the planet we need to change how we produce meat. And we need to consume more diverse diets. These changes have to be sensitive to the local context.</p>
<p>Changing what we eat must involve governments. Just as governments have a role in encouraging food manufacturers to avoid carcinogens or dangerous chemical additives, they have a role in promoting healthy diets from food systems that are sustainable over the long term. </p>
<p>What does that look like? It could be investing in agro-ecological farming practices, tackling corporate concentration of meat production, penalising <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10806-017-9660-0">antibiotic overuse</a> and subsidising healthy options like beans and legumes. Taxing the riskiest meat-based foods, such as heavily processed meat, is <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0204139">another option</a>. </p>
<p>Sensible policy-making may also help shift <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0950329319300394?via%3Dihub">cultural norms</a> in which meat is so highly valued.</p>
<p>Could we just swap red meat for different meat? It’s not that simple. The majority of chickens are <a href="https://ourworldindata.org/%20environmental-impacts-of-food#dairy-vs-plant-based-milk-what-are-the-environmental-impacts">intensively farmed</a>, too, meaning antibiotic resistance remains a risk. Ultra-processed plant-based meats may <a href="https://search.informit.org/doi/abs/10.3316/informit.834285620056561">also pose problems</a> for human health. </p>
<p>A better option is to focus on minimally-processed whole foods (think brown rice, nuts and pulses) and sustainably-produced foods from animals. But we need action from the government to make these options affordable and convenient.</p>
<p>Importantly, the WHO report does not say stop eating red meat – it simply lays out the evidence about what it does to your health. It also points to ways of farming livestock that are less destructive and outlines ways to reduce our habitual consumption.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/537225/original/file-20230713-19-56laau.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="mediterranean diet" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/537225/original/file-20230713-19-56laau.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/537225/original/file-20230713-19-56laau.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537225/original/file-20230713-19-56laau.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537225/original/file-20230713-19-56laau.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537225/original/file-20230713-19-56laau.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537225/original/file-20230713-19-56laau.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537225/original/file-20230713-19-56laau.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Wholefoods, fresh fruit and vegetables and moderate quantities of sustainably produced meat offer a better path for us and for the environment.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/intensive-farming-is-eating-up-the-australian-continent-but-theres-another-way-130877">Intensive farming is eating up the Australian continent – but there's another way</a>
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<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/209234/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Katherine Sievert received funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council for previous work related to this topic. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Gary Sacks receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council, the Australian Research Council and VicHealth.</span></em></p>Too much red meat – and especially processed meat – is linked to cancer and heart disease. But moderation is the key – alongside better farming practicesKatherine Sievert, Research Fellow in Food Systems, Deakin UniversityGary Sacks, Professor of Public Health Policy, Deakin UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2083432023-06-27T12:24:42Z2023-06-27T12:24:42ZLab-grown meat techniques aren’t new – cell cultures are common tools in science, but bringing them up to scale to meet society’s demand for meat will require further development<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533777/original/file-20230623-15-zpv5wg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C2121%2C1412&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Cell cultures are often grown in petri dishes.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/barcoded-petri-dishes-royalty-free-image/478184231">Wladimir Bulgar/Science Photo Library via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>You might be old enough to remember the famous “<a href="https://www.yahoo.com/news/the-inside-story-of-wendys-wheres-the-beef-ad-140051010.html">Where’s the Beef?</a>” Wendy’s commercials. This question may be asked in a different context since <a href="https://apnews.com/article/cultivated-meat-lab-grown-cell-based-a88ab8e0241712b501aa191cdbf6b39a">U.S. regulators approved</a> the sale of lab-grown chicken meat made from cultivated cells in June 2023.</p>
<p>Growing animal cells in the lab isn’t new. Scientists have been culturing animal cells in artificial environments <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-07758-1_3">since the 1950s</a>, initially focusing on studying developmental biology and cancer. This technique remains one of the major tools in life science research, especially for <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.jsps.2014.04.002">drug development</a>. </p>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">The USDA approved cell-cultivated chicken on June 21, 2023.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>What are cell cultures?</h2>
<p>Cell cultures are typically grown using either <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.13070/mm.en.3.175">natural or artificial growth media</a>. Natural media comprise naturally-derived biological fluids, whereas artificial media comprise both organic and inorganic nutrients and compounds. Both contain the necessary ingredients to foster the growth and development of cells. These ingredients typically contain nutrients such as vitamins, carbohydrates, amino acids and other molecules that provide the fuel for cells to grow and multiply.</p>
<p>Researchers use cells grown using tissue culture to answer a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.jsps.2014.04.002">variety of experimental questions</a>. <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=zLwzHqcAAAAJ&hl=en">As a biochemist</a>, I use plant tissue culture techniques in my courses and research program. Researchers can add viruses, bacteria, fungi, hormones, vitamins and other pathogens or compounds to cells grown in culture to observe how different factors affect the cells’ behavior or function, especially as it relates to which genes are turned on or off in the cell and which proteins respond to those pathogens or compounds. </p>
<p>In <a href="https://theconversation.com/from-the-research-lab-to-your-doctors-office-heres-what-happens-in-phase-1-2-3-drug-trials-138197">drug development</a>, growing cells in culture is usually the first step before potential drug candidates can be tested in animals.</p>
<figure>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">Cell cultures involve growing cells outside of their native environment.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>How is lab-grown meat made?</h2>
<p>Researchers use similar techniques to <a href="https://thehumaneleague.org/article/lab-grown-meat">grow meat in the lab</a>. The process can generally be broken down into <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u468xY1T8fw">three major steps</a>. </p>
<p>The first step involves removing a small number of cells – typically muscle or stem cells – from an animal during a harmless and painless procedure. <a href="https://theconversation.com/triggering-cancer-cells-to-become-normal-cells-how-stem-cell-therapies-can-provide-new-ways-to-stop-tumors-from-spreading-or-growing-back-191559">Stem cells</a> are cells from an organism that are not specialized and can be manipulated in the lab to turn into the many different types of cells of that organism.</p>
<p>The next step is culturing the cells. The cells are placed in an artificial environment favorable to their growth. Because of the large amount of cells that have to be grown to produce meat, the cells are incubated <a href="https://www.engr.colostate.edu/CBE101/topics/bioreactors.html">in a bioreactor</a> – a steel tank that provides controlled temperature, humidity, pressure and sterile conditions – with the appropriate medium to facilitate growth. The growth media are changed a number of times to encourage the cells to differentiate and multiply into the three major components of meat: muscle, fat and connective tissue. </p>
<p>In last step of the process, known as scaffolding, the cells are organized and packed tightly together to create the desired size, shape and cut of meat for consumption. </p>
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<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/M-weFARkGi4?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Making cultured meat has seen lots of progress in the lab, but there is still a long way to go.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Pros and cons of cultured meat</h2>
<p>There are pros and cons to growing meat through cell culture techniques. While cultured meat may produce relatively less greenhouse gas than conventional livestock production in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-020-0112-z">certain conditions</a>, researchers <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2019.00005">need to refine the process</a> before it can be cost-efficient and brought to scale. </p>
<p>A 2021 analysis estimated that lab-grown meat will <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/bit.27848">cost US$17 to $23 per pound</a> to produce, and that does not include grocery store markups. In comparison, conventionally grown ground beef typically costs <a href="https://www.bls.gov/regions/mid-atlantic/data/averageretailfoodandenergyprices_usandmidwest_table.htm">a little under $5 per pound</a>. </p>
<p>A 2021 <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/agriculture/our-insights/cultivated-meat-out-of-the-lab-into-the-frying-pan">McKinsey report</a> estimates that it will take approximately <a href="https://www.greenbiz.com/article/lab-meat-has-3-big-problems-it-time-pivot">220 million to 440 million liters of bioreactor capacity</a> to meet 1% of current protein market share, but current bioreactor capacity tops out at 200 million liters. There are also concerns about the biological limitations of growing large numbers of various cell types in the same bioreactor.</p>
<p>Lab-grown meat may <a href="https://theconversation.com/no-animal-required-but-would-people-eat-artificial-meat-72372">improve animal welfare</a> and be less likely to carry disease or cause food-borne illnesses. However, consumers may also perceive lab-grown meat to be unnatural or have concerns about its taste.</p>
<p>Companies are likely paying attention and adapting to the public’s response. To put things in perspective, the <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/lanabandoim/2022/03/08/making-meat-affordable-progress-since-the-330000-lab-grown-burger/?sh=523ac7c24667">first lab-grown burger</a> cost $330,000 to create in 2013. The price has fallen to just under $10 per burger today, which is remarkable progress in just a decade.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/208343/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>André O. Hudson receives funding from the National Institutes of Health </span></em></p>Cell cultures are common tools in biology and drug development. Bringing them up to scale to meet the meat needs of societies will require further development.André O. Hudson, Dean of the College of Science, Professor of Biochemistry, Rochester Institute of TechnologyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2043762023-06-19T15:04:29Z2023-06-19T15:04:29ZBackpack-wearing chickens are helping change the way we study animal welfare<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527531/original/file-20230522-26-6ra3o7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C5184%2C3453&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/indoor-chicken-farm-feeding-broiler-1607067385">Iaroslav Konnikov/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The chicken sheds I conduct research in are enormous – over three-quarters the length of a football field and 20 metres wide. In each house, around 28,000 near-identical broiler chickens, which are the type we use for meat, are reared in six-week production cycles. </p>
<p>My research helps farms find ways to improve the welfare of these birds. This might involve <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/animal/article/abs/influence-of-the-provision-of-natural-light-and-straw-bales-on-activity-levels-and-leg-health-in-commercial-broiler-chickens/BCEA89CAEB95566593B9DC5E5FBE756C">adjusting their lighting</a>, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168159117303489?casa_token=R0d1IOfG9QwAAAAA:awiAJ18ysmuwH8fqLX8biTf-DO6L9JHeyM06sRjrcrJ10IaGEiAgt66kKC5ZeDW3WOmQY1Fz-wU">improving the design of perches</a> or <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0259333">seeing how different breeds compare</a>. With so many animals per house, it makes sense to consider how any change affects the flock as a whole.</p>
<p>Thinking about broilers as a group also makes sense because they are considered to be a pretty homogeneous bunch. One effect of selectively breeding these animals to maximise how much meat they produce is that they all reach slaughter weight at the same time and all look very similar. So, short of dispatching a student with very good eyesight to follow a single chicken around for weeks, monitoring an individual broiler under commercial conditions is impossible.</p>
<p>Researchers get around this by either monitoring 100 birds and assuming they represent the 28,000 or keeping 100 broilers in a pen, applying a change to them and hoping it is similar enough to commercial conditions to get valid results. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Inside a large barn with overhead lights, rows of feeders and chickens." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/526001/original/file-20230512-23549-50hj2p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/526001/original/file-20230512-23549-50hj2p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/526001/original/file-20230512-23549-50hj2p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/526001/original/file-20230512-23549-50hj2p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/526001/original/file-20230512-23549-50hj2p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/526001/original/file-20230512-23549-50hj2p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/526001/original/file-20230512-23549-50hj2p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A typical broiler shed.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://elements.envato.com/small-chickens-76RUCLM">Sebastian_Studio</a>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>But what if we want to know how <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-34149-0">individual broilers experience their environment</a>? My colleagues and I in the Animal Welfare Unit at Queen’s University Belfast turned to developments in indoor tracking technology for help. Along with Icelandic software company Locatify, we have been working to adapt a commercial system that can show where individual chickens are in the house in real-time. By attaching backpacks to chickens, we discovered just how different each bird is – and it could help us learn to meet their needs better.</p>
<h2>Chicken backpacks</h2>
<p>The ultra-wideband tags we used to monitor the movements of the chickens are usually found tracking forklifts in warehouses or attached to lanyards to track people as they move around offices or museums. </p>
<p>Ultra-wideband is a radio technology that works by recording how long it takes for a signal to move from the transmitter (or tag) to a receiver. This data can be used to identify the object’s position to within 30cm. </p>
<p>Crucially, the tags were small enough that they could be placed inside specially designed backpacks for chickens to carry over several weeks. The system recorded their location and movement during this time, giving a clear view of how they used the house. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/526002/original/file-20230512-23633-90trgr.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A chicken with a small, square wallet on its back." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/526002/original/file-20230512-23633-90trgr.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/526002/original/file-20230512-23633-90trgr.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=719&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/526002/original/file-20230512-23633-90trgr.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=719&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/526002/original/file-20230512-23633-90trgr.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=719&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/526002/original/file-20230512-23633-90trgr.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=903&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/526002/original/file-20230512-23633-90trgr.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=903&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/526002/original/file-20230512-23633-90trgr.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=903&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A chicken with the tracking tag in a small, square backpack.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-34149-0">Baxter & O'Connell (2023)/Scientific Reports</a>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>When I explained this concept to one of the farmers, he waved an arm towards one corner of the house and told me he was certain he saw the same chicken in that corner every morning. Another farmer was convinced they roamed around as they pleased, using the whole house. </p>
<p>It turns out they were both right. </p>
<p>We were surprised to find that, despite how homogeneous the chickens and their environments are, there were still significant differences between their movement patterns. We followed 17 chickens in our first trial with the new tracking system and, while one spent the majority of its time within 10 metres of the area I originally tagged it in, another visited over 97% of the house across a week. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A heat map showing two separate patterns of movement." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/526003/original/file-20230512-23549-o4s9gt.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/526003/original/file-20230512-23549-o4s9gt.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=285&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/526003/original/file-20230512-23549-o4s9gt.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=285&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/526003/original/file-20230512-23549-o4s9gt.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=285&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/526003/original/file-20230512-23549-o4s9gt.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=358&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/526003/original/file-20230512-23549-o4s9gt.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=358&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/526003/original/file-20230512-23549-o4s9gt.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=358&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">How two tagged broilers moved around the house during one week.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-34149-0">Baxter & O'Connell (2023)/Scientific Reports</a>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>We got another chance to see whether chickens really preferred one bit of the house to another when we penned and then released the tagged birds after the initial observation week. We wanted to see whether the chickens would return to the area we had collected them from, and a few did. Three out of nine chickens collected from the back of the house made their way back there within 24 hours. But five never returned to those original spots for the rest of the production cycle. </p>
<h2>Variety is the spice of life</h2>
<p>So why was there so much variation? There are a few obvious influences on broiler movement that we looked at first. Using one of the two methods outlined above, <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/00439339.2019.1680025">many studies</a> have found that heavier birds, older birds and those with leg issues are significantly less active. We struggled to match any of these issues conclusively with our tagged broilers. </p>
<p>The two heaviest broilers did roam around the house the least, but a number of lighter birds used less space than heavier ones. Our one lame tagged broiler was recorded in 69% of the house, while a lighter broiler with a better gait occupied 43%. We did see less activity as birds aged, but even this was not predictable and depended on the individual. </p>
<p>We couldn’t even nail down a link between space use and activity, meaning that broilers exploring less of the house were moving around in their area as much as broilers using a larger amount of space.</p>
<p>Although all of this didn’t produce the neat graphs I was hoping for, it did suggest that perhaps broilers aren’t as homogeneous as we thought. </p>
<p>Like most animals, it makes sense that chicken behaviour is influenced by each individual’s personality traits. Perhaps broilers that are bolder are more likely to explore the house in detail. Are more fearful chickens more likely to be startled by farm staff or other birds and so keep moving around? Do some chickens have better spatial awareness than others? Are some more likely to form social bonds than others?</p>
<p>We hope to continue using this tracking technology to delve deeper into why particular broilers use space the way they do – and what changes can be made to create the best possible environment for the group and for the individual.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/204376/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Mary Baxter receives funding from British Poultry Science Ltd and Moy Park Ltd. </span></em></p>Tracking data suggests individual chickens have very different movement patterns.Mary Baxter, Research Fellow in Animal Welfare, Queen's University BelfastLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2055482023-05-15T12:33:24Z2023-05-15T12:33:24ZSupreme Court’s ruling on humane treatment of pigs could catalyze a wave of new animal welfare laws<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/525957/original/file-20230512-22-a35zgz.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=18%2C12%2C4071%2C3053&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Sows in gestation crates at a breeding facility in Waverly, Va.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5f/Gestation_crates_2.jpg/4096px-Gestation_crates_2.jpg">Humane Society of the U.S./Wikimedia Commons</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Should California be able to require higher welfare standards for farm animals raised in other states if products from those animals are to be sold in California? On May 11, 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld California’s position by a 5-4 vote in <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/22pdf/21-468_5if6.pdf">National Pork Producers Council v. Ross</a>. </p>
<p>While the ruling was fractured and reflected complex legal questions, it is a major victory for those working to improve farm animal welfare. A number of states will undoubtedly take advantage of the power that the Supreme Court has recognized. </p>
<p>As a <a href="https://www.law.msu.edu/faculty_staff/profile.php?prof=12">specialist in animal law</a>, I expect that this will result in a patchwork of laws that are likely to make national meat producers very uncomfortable. Ultimately, it could push Congress to set federal standards.</p>
<h2>More indoor space for sows</h2>
<p>Pork producers sued California over a law that the state’s voters <a href="https://ballotpedia.org/California_Proposition_12,_Farm_Animal_Confinement_Initiative_(2018)">adopted in 2018</a> via ballot initiative with over 63% approval. It set new conditions for raising hogs, veal calves and egg-laying chickens whose meat or eggs are sold in California. The state produces virtually no pork, but represents <a href="https://nppc.org/ca-prop-12/">about 15% of the U.S. pork market</a>. </p>
<p>At <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-02-15/pork-prices-are-a-key-issue-in-debate-over-gestation-crates?sref=Hjm5biAW">most commercial hog farms</a>, pregnant sows are kept in pens called gestation crates that measure about 2 feet by 7 feet – enough room for the animals to sit, stand and lie down, but <a href="http://animalwelfare.ucdavis.edu/uploads/6/3/7/0/63703691/prop_12_faq_swine.pdf">not enough to turn around</a>. California’s law requires that each sow must have <a href="https://law.justia.com/codes/california/2010/hsc/25990-25994.html#:%7E:text=25990.,(b)%20Turning%20around%20freely.">at least 24 square feet of floor space</a> – nearly double the amount that most now get. It does not require farmers to raise free-range pigs; just provide more square footage for hogs in buildings. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vQPUGU6le0s?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Pork producers in Iowa, which produces about one-third of all hogs raised in the U.S., react to the Supreme Court ruling upholding the California law.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The <a href="https://nppc.org/">National Pork Producers Council</a> argued that this requirement <a href="https://nppc.org/ca-prop-12/">imposed heavy compliance costs</a> on farmers across the U.S., since large hog farms may house <a href="https://www.nationalhogfarmer.com/reproduction/does-farm-size-matter-swine-production">thousands of sows</a>, and that it restricted interstate commerce. The Constitution’s commerce clause delegates authority to regulate interstate commerce <a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/commerce_clause">to the federal government</a>. In a series of cases over the past 50 years, the Supreme Court has made clear that it will strike down any state law that seeks to control commerce in another state or <a href="https://www.oyez.org/cases/2006/05-1345">give preference to in-state commerce</a>. </p>
<h2>States control farm animal welfare</h2>
<p>Congress has remained mute on standards for handling farm animals, which are <a href="https://www.nal.usda.gov/animal-health-and-welfare/animal-welfare-act">not covered under the 1966 Animal Welfare Act</a>. Consequently, each state regulates this issue within its borders. </p>
<p>For example, in recent years, nine states have <a href="https://blog.humanesociety.org/2021/06/breaking-nevada-becomes-ninth-state-to-ban-cages-for-egg-laying-hens.html">outlawed housing egg-laying chickens in “battery cages</a>” that have been the industry standard for decades. These wire enclosures are so small that <a href="https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/08/15/weekinreview/15marsh-grfk.html">the birds cannot spread their wings</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/486883/original/file-20220927-12-nldpmb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Shelves lined with small wire cages, each holding multiple chickens." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/486883/original/file-20220927-12-nldpmb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/486883/original/file-20220927-12-nldpmb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=407&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/486883/original/file-20220927-12-nldpmb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=407&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/486883/original/file-20220927-12-nldpmb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=407&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/486883/original/file-20220927-12-nldpmb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=511&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/486883/original/file-20220927-12-nldpmb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=511&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/486883/original/file-20220927-12-nldpmb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=511&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Chickens in battery cages on an Iowa poultry farm.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/ChinaChickenTrade/d5d0a3185fab492b8d39486d57e0ed4a/photo">AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>And <a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/chart-gallery/gallery/chart-detail/?chartId=103505">nine states in addition to California</a> have adopted laws requiring pork producers to phase out gestation crates. Massachusetts’ law, like California’s, would also apply to retail sales of pork raised elsewhere, but <a href="https://www.foodqualityandsafety.com/article/court-orders-delay-of-massachusetts-pork-production-law/">its enforcement has been on hold</a> pending the Supreme Court’s ruling in the California case.</p>
<h2>California’s market power</h2>
<p>The California law says that if producers want to sell pork in California, they must raise pigs under conditions that comply with the state’s regulations. Farmers do not have to meet these standards unless they want to sell in California. The same requirement is applied to producers located in California and those based elsewhere, so the law does not directly discriminate between states in a way that would constitute a clear commerce clause violation.</p>
<p>Producers of <a href="https://www.poultryworld.net/poultry/cage-free-us-egg-industry-sooner-rather-than-later/">eggs</a> and <a href="https://www.agupdate.com/missourifarmertoday/news/livestock/builder-sees-producers-adapting-to-prop-12/article_f2c43598-ed80-11ec-a8bc-af01d15c519d.html">veal</a> that sell in California are on track to implement new space requirements for their animals under the law. But instead of working out how to comply, the pork industry sought to have the courts set the California law aside.</p>
<p>However, as the Supreme Court noted, major producers, including <a href="https://www.hormelfoods.com/newsroom/news/hormel-foods-company-information-about-california-proposition-12/">Hormel</a> and <a href="https://s22.q4cdn.com/104708849/files/doc_financials/2021/q3/08-11-21_Tyson-Foods-080921.pdf">Tyson</a>, have said they will be able to comply with the California standard. Niman Ranch, a network of family farmers and ranchers who raise livestock humanely and sustainably, filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/21/21-468/233498/20220815141539359_21-468_Amicus%20Brief.pdf">supporting California</a>. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1656817787858296833"}"></div></p>
<h2>A fractured verdict</h2>
<p>In rejecting the pork industry’s position, justices in the majority disagreed as to why the California law should be upheld. Some held that pork producers had not proved that the law would substantially interfere with interstate commerce. Others argued that regardless of the degree of interference, it was inappropriate to ask courts to balance compliance costs for the industry against California voters’ moral concerns about animal welfare. </p>
<p>“While the Constitution addresses many weighty issues,” Justice Neil Gorsuch <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/22pdf/21-468_5if6.pdf">wrote for the majority</a>, “the type of pork chops California merchants may sell is not on that list.” Justices Clarence Thomas, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Amy Coney Barrett largely supported Gorsuch’s opinion. </p>
<p>Similarly, dissenting justices differed as to why the California law posed a constitutional problem. Justices John Roberts, Samuel Alito and Ketanji Brown Jackson asserted that the substantial interference requirement had been met, and they would have remanded the case back to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Only Justice Brett Kavanaugh held that the California law should be held void because the positive animal welfare outcomes were not substantial enough to overcome the increased cost it imposed on pork producers. </p>
<h2>Beyond pork</h2>
<p>Farmers and animal welfare advocates understand that with this win, states with the most progressive animal welfare policies – primarily West Coast and Northeast states – will be able to effectively set national standards for the well-being of many agricultural animals, including chickens, dairy cows and cattle. Conceivably, California might also be able to require basic conditions for human labor, such as minimum wage standards, associated with products sold in California.</p>
<p>I expect that within five years, Congress will enact national legislation on farm animal welfare issues that will preempt differing state laws. It is impossible to predict now whether a new national law would improve animal welfare or adopt existing poor welfare practices – but California’s win represents a major victory for advocates who have sought for years to improve conditions for farm animals across the U.S.</p>
<p><em>This is an update of an <a href="https://theconversation.com/supreme-court-grapples-with-animal-welfare-in-a-challenge-to-a-california-law-requiring-pork-to-be-humanely-raised-187893">article</a> originally published October 4, 2022.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/205548/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>David Favre was a founding board member of the Animal Legal Defense Fund.</span></em></p>The Supreme Court has upheld a controversial California law requiring pork sold in-state to be humanely raised, no matter where it’s produced. Pork producers say it could drive up food prices.David Favre, Professor of Law, Michigan State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2046522023-05-05T16:24:08Z2023-05-05T16:24:08ZHow archaeologists can help us live with wild animals<p>For thousands of years, people in the British Isles lived with and depended on wild animals for food and clothes. The land teemed with species such as deer, boar, wolves, lynx and beavers. Then came farming, population growth and industrialisation. Many species were hunted to extinction and their habitats were lost. </p>
<p>Archaeological research reaches back in time to understand how humans and wild animals interacted. Ancient bones and teeth reveal these complex relationships. </p>
<p>Today, interactions between wild animals and people are often in the news, from <a href="https://www.timeout.com/london/city-life/are-londons-foxes-getting-bolder">urban foxes</a> to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/apr/12/first-wild-beaver-in-wales-in-400-years-caught-felling-trees-in-garden">tree-felling beavers</a> and <a href="https://news.cnrs.fr/articles/humans-caused-the-overpopulation-of-wild-boars">wild boars</a>. Even the red deer – the monarch of the glen, celebrated as a symbol of wild Scotland – is facing widespread calls for population control and, on the Hebridean island of South Uist, total eradication.</p>
<p>Deer were a mainstay of British diets before <a href="https://www.academia.edu/25154142/The_Time_of_Deer">farming</a> and, out on the islands, my research demonstrates they remained an important <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/290486458_Red_deer_on_Scottish_islands">food source</a> beyond the 15th century. It was only in the middle ages that deer became the preserve of royal hunts and later the favoured prey of fee-paying hunters. </p>
<p>Today they are often viewed as pests by the communities they impact. A combination of factors, including <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/covid-deer-venison-climate-change-b1785514.html">COVID-19</a> and <a href="https://rumdeer.bio.ed.ac.uk/climate-change">climate change</a>, has seen deer numbers <a href="https://consult.defra.gov.uk/team-trees/consultation-on-proposals-for-the-deer-management/">increase</a> and affect both <a href="https://forestrycommission.blog.gov.uk/2022/08/04/reducing-the-impact-of-deer-on-the-natural-environment-consultation-opens/">landscapes</a> and gardens. They also cause <a href="https://www.deeraware.com/background/">accidents on roads</a> and carry the ticks that pass on Lyme disease. </p>
<p>As wild animals, they are <a href="https://www.nature.scot/professional-advice/protected-areas-and-species/protected-species/protected-species-z-guide/protected-species-deer#:%7E:text=Deer%20don%27t%20belong%20to,kill%20deer%20for%20certain%20purposes.">not owned</a> and only become someone’s property when they are captured or killed by persons entitled by law to do so. This is usually the owners of the land they inhabit. Land owning estates manage most herds and may provide hunting access for a fee. </p>
<p>The venison can be sold, but often <a href="https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/19132700.highland-game-scottish-venison-donated-london-food-banks-amid-covid-drop-demand/">goes to waste</a> due to a lack of sufficient trained staff to check carcasses and markets for the meat. Hides are generally not valued and antlers are sold as <a href="https://www.petsathome.com/shop/en/pets/antos-antler-chew-p3266--1">dog chews</a>. </p>
<h2>South Uist</h2>
<p>In March 2023, the tensions between red deer and locals reached a <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-64979967">crisis point</a> on the Scottish island of South Uist. There was a call to eradicate an entire herd of 1,198 animals, as their behaviour was negatively affecting locals. Arguments on either side focused on their history, use and value.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/299840919_Colonization_of_the_Scottish_Islands_via_long-distance_Neolithic_transport_of_red_deer_Cervus_elaphus">As an animal archaeologist, my research</a> has shown that <a href="https://theconversation.com/who-took-red-deer-to-the-scottish-isles-57825">red deer</a> were taken to Scottish islands for food more than 5,000 years ago. </p>
<p>In the absence of any predators, their numbers were controlled through the killing (and eating) of both red deer calves and adults. Hides were worked and the valuable antlers, shed annually from stags, were used to create beautifully crafted tools and adornments. Red deer are represented in early art, both on and off the islands. A recent find of spectacular rock art on <a href="https://www.historicenvironment.scot/about-us/news/prehistoric-animal-carvings-discovered-for-the-first-time-in-scotland/">mainland Scotland</a> has highlighted their cultural importance during this period. </p>
<p>Unlike on most of mainland Britain, deer remained an important island food and thrived up until recently. In the 20th century, new animals were <a href="https://guerillaarchaeology.com/themes-and-projects/craftwork/deer-on-south-uist-past-present-and-future/">introduced</a> from the mainland. Genetic analysis suggests these deer supplemented existing populations and the herds became reestablished.</p>
<p>Over the past decades deer numbers across the UK have exploded from 450,000 in the 1970s to 2 million today – the highest level for <a href="https://consult.defra.gov.uk/team-trees/consultation-on-proposals-for-the-deer-management/">1,000 years</a>. </p>
<p><a href="https://storasuibhist.com/members-information/documentation/agm-2021-presentation-2/">A recent count</a> found that South Uist deer numbers have increased by a third, from around 800 in 2015 to 1,200 today. This pattern is repeated elsewhere, such as the Isles of <a href="https://www.stornowaygazette.co.uk/business/deer-culls-to-increase-as-numbers-double-3992741">Lewis and Harris</a>. At the same time, the prevalence of ticks and the disease they carry has <a href="https://www.wihb.scot.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/A0-Template-The-ticking-time-bomb.-Incidence-of-Lyme-disease-in-the-Western-Isles-2010-2017.pdf">increased</a>.</p>
<h2>Management</h2>
<p>Deer herds clearly need to be managed, but there is a cost. Culling them requires trained individuals, as well as care to ensure animals do not suffer. Paying hunters provide some income, but the value of deer is not clear to all who live in deer-impacted communities. </p>
<p>As in the past, venison, antler and hides are all valuable items. Investment in resources and training by <a href="https://www.communitylandscotland.org.uk/members/storas-uibhist/">Stòras Uibhist</a>, the community-owned company that manages the 93,000 acre South Uist Estate, is producing venison. That’s both as a low-cost local food and a high-value delicacy. Antler is also a sustainable resource, grown and shed each year. </p>
<p>Archaeological initiatives are demonstrating to islanders, and beyond, how easy it is to work with this material. With only <a href="https://youtu.be/NpoNjqASV0k">simple tools</a>, saleable items inspired by island heritage and culture can be produced. On South Uist, the estate is looking to process and sell hides, while wildlife focused deer stalking with cameras can provide new tourist activities. </p>
<p>The deer of South Uist have <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-65025200">gained a reprieve</a>. The community voted to keep the herd, but in smaller numbers. In the absence of predators, humans need to actively manage such wildlife to maintain a balance. The value of red deer, both alive and dead, must be realised to create a sustainable wild landscapes for the future. </p>
<p>The deep history of human interactions with these animals can provide inspiration for their future management. Archaeologists like myself hold this knowledge and by sharing the stories and skills of the past, we can reconnect today’s people with previous generations.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/204652/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jacqui Mulville receives research funding from Cardiff University, British Academy, Leverhulme Trust, Natural Environment Research Council</span></em></p>There are arguments over the future of red deer on the Scottish island of South Uist but archaeological expertise can help people live alongside wild animals.Jacqui Mulville, Professor in Bioarchaeology, Head of Archaeology and Conservation, Cardiff UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2032512023-04-14T16:00:19Z2023-04-14T16:00:19ZItaly is set to ban lab-grown meat – here’s why it should think again<p>Scientists recently <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/mar/28/meatball-mammoth-created-cultivated-meat-firm">created a meatball</a> with the flesh of the long-extinct woolly mammoth. The meatball was the product of one of this century’s most promising technological advancements – <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-20061-y">cellular agriculture</a>. </p>
<p>Sometimes called “lab-grown meat”, the process involves growing animal products from animal cells in a controlled laboratory environment. The process eliminates many of the environmental, animal welfare and human health concerns that are associated with industrial livestock systems today. </p>
<p>But laboratory-grown animal products are yet to really take off. Singapore and the US are so far the only two countries in which lab-grown food products can be <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/food/2022/nov/18/lab-grown-meat-safe-eat-fda-upside-foods">sold legally</a> to consumers. The European Food Safety Authority is still assessing the potential risks associated with cultured animal products. </p>
<p>And on March 28, Italy’s minister of agriculture, Francesco Lollobrigida, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/29/italian-plan-to-ban-lab-grown-food-criticised-as-misguided">announced</a> that the country would become the first to ban lab-grown foods. The reason for the proposed ban is mainly to protect Italian farmers. But the government has also voiced concerns about the quality of synthetic foods and their threat to Italy’s proud culinary heritage. </p>
<p>However, lab-grown meat has the potential to offer a much more sustainable food source than traditional animal farming that could also help reduce the spread of disease.</p>
<h2>How are meat products grown?</h2>
<p>Scientists can grow muscle tissue synthetically by reproducing the process of cellular regeneration that occurs naturally in an animal’s muscles. This task is carried out by stem cells, which are specialised in cellular division. Stem cells are collected by obtaining a tissue sample from a living animal before being isolated and cultivated in conditions that resemble the animal’s body. </p>
<p>It currently takes around <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZExbQ8dkJvc">four weeks to produce a burger</a>. A range of other animal products can be cultivated in a lab, including seafood and milk. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZExbQ8dkJvc?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">How is meat produced in a laboratory?</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Fewer resources</h2>
<p>There are growing concerns around the climate impact of meat production. </p>
<p>At present, livestock production alone <a href="https://ourworldindata.org/agricultural-land-by-global-diets#:%7E:text=Livestock%20takes%20up%20nearly%2080,required%20to%20produce%20our%20food">consumes 70% of the world’s arable land</a> and uses <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2013/jan/10/how-much-water-food-production-waste">vast amounts of water</a>. This may increase further in the future. Meat consumption is <a href="https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/global-meat-projections-to-2050">expected to double</a> by 2050 as the middle class grows in China, Brazil, India and across Africa.</p>
<p>But, if scaled up, lab-grown meat would use substantially less land and water. <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es200130u">Research</a> finds that around 99% less land is required to produce 1kg of lab-grown meat than would have to be used by European farms to produce the same amount.</p>
<p>Producing 1kg of meat in a laboratory would also use between 82% and 96% less water than a traditional livestock farm, depending on which product is compared.</p>
<h2>Lower health risk</h2>
<p>Cultivating meat from cells can also reduce the risk of disease development and prevent unnecessary animal suffering. </p>
<p>There are obvious welfare issues associated with crowding animals together on farms. But these cramped conditions also make diseases like avian flu, mad cow disease and the African swine fever virus <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0267128">more likely to develop and spread</a>. </p>
<p>In the year 2018–2019, around <a href="https://asm.org/Articles/2022/March/African-Swine-Fever-Virus-Is-A-Global-Concern#:%7E:text=However%2C%20it%20is%20estimated%20that,of%20ASF%20from%202018%2D19">225 million pigs in China</a> either died or were culled due to the outbreak of African swine fever. This is equivalent to around one quarter of the global pig population.</p>
<p>Animal farmers use antibiotics to prevent the spread of disease. But their overuse is contributing to a <a href="https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/fpd.2006.0066">rise of antibiotic resistance</a>. The United Nations estimates that, by 2050, antibiotic resistance will lead to <a href="https://www.who.int/news/item/29-04-2019-new-report-calls-for-urgent-action-to-avert-antimicrobial-resistance-crisis">more deaths than cancer</a> worldwide.</p>
<p>Lab-grown meat is also safer to eat when it comes to bacteria. The cells used in cultivated meat production are carefully screened to make sure they are not contaminated with infectious pathogens. </p>
<p>Meat products that are grown from cells are also free from <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/016816059190046R">contamination by faecal bacteria</a> like <em>E. coli</em>, <em>Salmonella</em> and <em>Listeria</em>. These bacteria live inside an animals’ gut and can contaminate the meat when the animal is slaughtered.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Many pigs crowded together indoors." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/521015/original/file-20230414-24-d089df.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/521015/original/file-20230414-24-d089df.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/521015/original/file-20230414-24-d089df.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/521015/original/file-20230414-24-d089df.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/521015/original/file-20230414-24-d089df.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/521015/original/file-20230414-24-d089df.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/521015/original/file-20230414-24-d089df.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Crowding animals together make diseases more likely to develop and spread.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/many-adult-pigs-pig-farm-livestock-2068194197">Dusan Petkovic/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>An environmentally friendly alternative?</h2>
<p>Industrial livestock systems – particularly cattle farms – are responsible for the emission of huge quantities of greenhouse gases like CO₂ and methane. But growing meat from cells can have a similar – and sometimes even worse – <a href="https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2019-02-19-lab-grown-meat-really-better-environment">environmental footprint</a>. </p>
<p>Cellular food technologies generate more CO₂ (up to 22.1kg of CO₂ per kg of meat) than conventional cattle farms at present (which produce up to 5.4kg CO₂). This is largely because maintaining the right conditions for cell growth in a laboratory consumes a lot of energy. </p>
<p>Lab-grown meat does, however, <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2019.00005/full">produce substantially less methane</a> than conventional cattle farming. This will vary depending on the method of culturing and farming used, but on average, 1kg of meat grown in a lab produces up to 0.082kg of methane. In comparison, a kilogram of meat produced on a conventional farm can generate up to 1.2kg of methane. </p>
<p>Methane has a <a href="https://www.iea.org/reports/global-methane-tracker-2022/methane-and-climate-change">25-times greater</a> global warming potential than CO₂. But it remains in the atmosphere for much less time – around 20 years compared with centuries for CO₂. This means that the CO₂ that accumulates in the environment will fuel global warming for a long time after its emission. So upscaling cellular food technology to a mass-market production system before energy systems are decarbonised is risky. </p>
<p>Lab-grown meat has the potential to make our food system more sustainable. As energy systems are decarbonised, this new form of food will only become more attractive. </p>
<p>But upscaling the technology will require a lot of political will. And, as shown by Italy’s prospective ban, political will is in short supply. </p>
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<img alt="Imagine weekly climate newsletter" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<hr><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/203251/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>I received my PhD funds from the University of Strathclyde and MASTS (Marine Alliance for Science and Technology)</span></em></p>Stopping the production of lab-grown food will be bad news for the environment.Silvia Malagoli, Postdoctoral Researcher in Fisheries Science, University of Strathclyde Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2015532023-03-16T19:11:18Z2023-03-16T19:11:18ZPFAS for dinner? Study of ‘forever chemicals’ build-up in cattle points to ways to reduce risks<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/515054/original/file-20230314-2080-1forbm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C5424%2C3605&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>PFAS, known as “forever chemicals”, have been found just about <a href="https://www.ewg.org/interactive-maps/pfas_in_wildlife/map/">everywhere on Earth</a>, including in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/mar/13/toxic-forever-chemicals-pfas-toilet-paper">toilet paper</a>.</p>
<p>These chemicals are a group of artificial compounds based on carbon and fluorine – per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. They comprise thousands of individual chemicals with hundreds of documented uses, including <a href="https://doi.org/10.1039/D0EM00291G">water proofing and fire suppression</a>. It is likely every household has products or textiles that contain or were treated with a product that contained PFAS (including some <a href="https://theconversation.com/youve-read-the-scary-headlines-but-rest-assured-your-cookware-is-safe-199967">non-stick cookware</a> and stain-resistant fabrics). </p>
<p>Studies have shown most people have one or more <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2014.05.019">PFAS compounds in their blood</a>. We live in a world full of chemicals, so why do we care about these ones? Well, some PFAS have been associated with a wide range of <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/2022/07/enhealth-guidance-health-effects-and-exposure-pathways-per--and-polyfluoroalkyl-substances-pfas.pdf">adverse human health effects</a>, such as cancer and immune problems. However, there is limited evidence of human disease resulting from environmental exposures. </p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2023.115518">Our study</a> investigated the uptake of PFAS into livestock at ten PFAS-impacted farms in Victoria. Our analysis also shows how risks can be reduced. </p>
<p>Our findings show the land and livestock can be managed to reduce PFAS levels in the animals before they enter the food chain. This means good management practices can protect food quality and reduce consumer exposure.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Farmer closes the gate behind a herd of beef cattle" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/515051/original/file-20230314-22-d1yrt0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/515051/original/file-20230314-22-d1yrt0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/515051/original/file-20230314-22-d1yrt0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/515051/original/file-20230314-22-d1yrt0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/515051/original/file-20230314-22-d1yrt0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/515051/original/file-20230314-22-d1yrt0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/515051/original/file-20230314-22-d1yrt0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">The bad news is PFAS builds up in cattle when their pasture or water is contaminated. The good news is the land and livestock can be managed to reduce the risks.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/pfas-might-be-everywhere-including-toilet-paper-but-lets-keep-the-health-risks-in-context-201785">PFAS might be everywhere – including toilet paper – but let's keep the health risks in context</a>
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<hr>
<h2>How do PFAS get in your blood?</h2>
<p>Exposure to household <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412022000757?via%3Dihub">dust and consumption of contaminated food</a> or <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2019.108648">water</a> are major contributors to human exposure to PFAS. It then <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2019.108648;%20https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2022.107149">accumulates in our blood</a>. </p>
<p>As the name would suggest, forever chemicals persist in the environment. As a result, when released into the environment, they disperse and over time can contaminate surrounding areas. </p>
<p>Firefighting and training activities have historically resulted in large releases of PFAS into the environment. This includes farming areas. </p>
<p>As livestock feed and drink from contaminated sources, this leads to PFAS accumulation in tissues. From there, PFAS can be transferred into the food chain, including products we eat such as <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144795">meat and milk</a>. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/forever-chemicals-have-made-their-way-to-farms-for-now-levels-in-your-food-are-low-but-theres-no-time-to-waste-192402">'Forever chemicals' have made their way to farms. For now, levels in your food are low – but there's no time to waste</a>
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<p>The causal links and what levels of PFAS exposure are harmful are <a href="https://nceph.anu.edu.au/research/projects/pfas-health-study#acton-tabs-link--tabs-0-footer-4">still being investigated</a>. The scientific community has yet to reach a consensus on how “bad” these compounds are, or conversely what the safe exposure levels are. </p>
<p>In the meantime, it is important to <a href="http://chm.pops.int/Implementation/IndustrialPOPs/PFAS/Overview/tabid/5221/Default.aspx">limit exposure through regulation</a>. Australia has adopted environmental and <a href="https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/protection/publications/pfas-nemp-2">health-based guideline values</a> for three PFAS of concern: perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS).</p>
<p>Australian food quality is high. In a 2021 study, scientists tested for 30 different PFAS in a broad range of Australian foods and beverages. Only one specific PFAS (PFOS) was detectable. It was found in just five out of 112 commonly consumed foods and beverages <a href="https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/publications/Documents/27th%20ATDS%20report.pdf">at levels below concern</a>. </p>
<p>These findings would suggest PFAS contamination is not an issue at most farms in Australia. The risks are likely to be higher from food produced at PFAS-contaminated sites. At such locations, PFAS can affect a range of foods, including <a href="https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/6223">eggs, vegetables and livestock</a>. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1571230263702683650"}"></div></p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/backyard-hens-eggs-contain-40-times-more-lead-on-average-than-shop-eggs-research-finds-187442">Backyard hens' eggs contain 40 times more lead on average than shop eggs, research finds</a>
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<hr>
<h2>What did the study investigate?</h2>
<p>We collated data from environmental investigations at ten PFAS-impacted farms in Victoria. This included testing about 1,000 samples of soil, water, pasture and livestock blood for concentrations of 28 types of PFAS. Our analysis also included information about farm practices, including livestock rotation, access to clean pasture and water. </p>
<p>We found:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>two specific PFAS compounds (PFOS and PFHxS) made up more than 98% of total PFAS detected in livestock blood</p></li>
<li><p>PFAS concentrations in water were correlated to concentrations in livestock blood, implying water was a critical exposure pathway, while the relationships between livestock and PFAS levels for soil and pasture were weaker</p></li>
<li><p>livestock exposure to PFAS varies over time and across paddocks. Seasonal patterns in PFAS blood concentrations were linked to seasonal grazing behaviours and the animals’ need for drinking water. </p></li>
</ul>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/515045/original/file-20230314-2603-vl3pg1.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Graphic showing how PFAS exposures in livestock vary according to farmland management practices" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/515045/original/file-20230314-2603-vl3pg1.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/515045/original/file-20230314-2603-vl3pg1.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=412&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/515045/original/file-20230314-2603-vl3pg1.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=412&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/515045/original/file-20230314-2603-vl3pg1.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=412&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/515045/original/file-20230314-2603-vl3pg1.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=518&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/515045/original/file-20230314-2603-vl3pg1.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=518&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/515045/original/file-20230314-2603-vl3pg1.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=518&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">PFAS exposures in livestock vary according to farmland management practices.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2023.115518">Mikkonen et al 2023</a>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
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<h2>What’s the next step?</h2>
<p>Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) is leading research and policy to understand how environmental PFAS risks can be better managed. In this regard, EPA along with research partners, is working to develop predictive models to estimate PFAS accumulation in livestock over their lifetime. This research will help determine when a site is too contaminated for livestock production and which ones to prioritise for PFAS remediation in soil and water.</p>
<p>Ultimately, this will allow more effective management of PFAS accumulation and reduce the likelihood of having PFAS for dinner.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/201553/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Antti Mikkonen is an employee of EPA Victoria, in the role of Principal Health Risk Advisor for chemicals. This work is part of Antti's PhD research at the University of South Australia where his candidature was supported by the Australian Government, Department of Education, Skills and Employment Research Training Program scholarship.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Mark Patrick Taylor is a full-time employee of EPA Victoria, appointed to the statutory role of Chief Environmental Scientist. He is also an Honorary Professor at Macquarie University. </span></em></p>Most food in Australia remains free of PFAS, but a new study has found it can build up in cattle on PFAS-affected farms. But there are ways to manage the land and livestock to reduce the risks.Antti Mikkonen, Principal Health Risk Advisor – Chemicals, EPA Victoria, and PhD Candidate, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South AustraliaMark Patrick Taylor, Victoria's Chief Environmental Scientist, EPA Victoria; Honorary Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1948222022-11-21T07:16:41Z2022-11-21T07:16:41ZLess burping, more meat and milk - how livestock farmers can help tackle the climate crisis<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/496105/original/file-20221118-22-fy14dr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Sabrina Bracher/Getty Images</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Africa’s livestock farmers are at the forefront of climate change. Images of parched landscapes littered with the carcasses of starved cattle are becoming all too familiar as droughts increase in frequency and severity. But cattle farming globally is also one of the causes of climate change. The world’s three billion or more ruminants – cattle, sheep and goats – produce methane, one of the most potent greenhouse gases, as a by-product of digestion.</p>
<p>All too often, discussions about climate change focus on the negative aspects of livestock production. Another side to the story was heard at the <a href="https://theconversation.com/cop27-explained-by-experts-what-is-it-and-why-should-i-care-193727">COP27 climate negotiations in Egypt</a>. This is the first year that food and agriculture have featured so prominently. And there is a clear <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/SPEECH_22_6995">message</a>: sustainable livestock farming can play a key role in reducing emissions, especially methane, and in delivering various environmental and social benefits.</p>
<p>The ruminant digestive system is responsible for <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Estimated-global-anthropogenic-methane-emissions-by-source-2020_fig1_341017757">27%</a> of methane emissions from human activity. And methane in turn contributes <a href="https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/global-greenhouse-gas-emissions-data">more than</a> 15% of the greenhouse gases released to the atmosphere.</p>
<p>Unlike the main greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, which persists in the atmosphere for thousands of years, methane breaks down in about 12 years. That means that the benefits of reducing methane emissions today would be swiftly felt.</p>
<p>Livestock farmers will have a crucial role to play – and they can.</p>
<h2>Effective mitigation strategies</h2>
<p>We are part of a global network of livestock experts who have <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2111294119#:%7E:text=Globally%2C%20100%25%20adoption%20of%20the,by%20projected%20increases%20in%20methane">identified strategies</a> that could help farmers reduce their enteric methane emissions (a by-product of the natural digestive process occurring in animals) and, in some cases, improve their productivity. </p>
<p>We did this by analysing 430 peer-reviewed papers about reducing enteric methane emissions from livestock. Most of the projects featured in the meta-analysis responded to the need to tackle climate change. Of the 98 strategies described in the papers, we identified eight which were particularly promising.</p>
<p>Three of these strategies – raising feed intake, using younger and less fibrous fodder, and feeding more concentrates – significantly reduced emissions per unit of milk and meat gained. We called these product-based strategies. They didn’t necessarily reduce enteric methane emissions per animal, for the simple reason that more feed generally means more emissions.</p>
<p>In contrast, the other five strategies lowered the enteric methane emissions per unit of milk and meat, and reduced the emissions per animal, without compromising animal performance. These the team called absolute emission strategies. Putting additives in livestock feed to inhibit methane production is one – but these additives also add to farmers’ costs. </p>
<p>The three product-based strategies would lead to an average 12% decrease in enteric methane per unit of milk or meat and an increase in animal productivity by a median of 17%. </p>
<p>The five absolute emission strategies would decrease daily enteric methane emissions by an average of 21%. The team calculated that globally, 100% adoption of the two most effective strategies, one from each category, would enable the livestock sector to meet the target of keeping global warming below 1.5°C by 2030. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, by 2050, mitigation efforts would be offset in low- and middle-income countries by relatively rapid population growth and the associated increase in demand for red meat and dairy products.</p>
<h2>Different global challenges</h2>
<p>There are clearly two very different stories here, one for high-income countries and another for low- and middle-income countries. In most high-income countries, population growth is low, and per capita demand for livestock products is already high and unlikely to increase. Under a business-as-usual scenario, taking Europe as an example, enteric methane emissions from livestock would rise by only around 11% by 2050.</p>
<p>On the other hand, under business as usual, with Africa as an example, enteric methane emissions would rise 87% by 2030 and 220% by 2050. That is because in low- and middle-income countries, population growth is still high and per capita demand for livestock products is low and likely to increase. In short, it would be easier for high-income countries to meet the 1.5°C target than low-income countries. And their strategies would differ.</p>
<p>In major dairy-producing countries like the Netherlands, using the two most effective strategies could reduce methane emissions by 33% by both 2030 and 2050. But farmers might demand incentives to include additives to animal feed, as the strategies would raise production costs but not productivity.</p>
<p>Our research suggested that employing the two most effective mitigation strategies would reduce the increase in enteric methane emissions from 87% to 26% by 2030 in Africa. That’s a significant improvement on doing nothing. </p>
<p>In most African countries, the focus would need to be on increasing feeding levels, decreasing forage maturity and adding some concentrate. This would not only help to reduce enteric methane emissions per unit of product, it would also raise animal productivity. Clearly, additional strategies will be required if livestock farmers are to keep to the 1.5°C target.</p>
<p>Top-down approaches seldom work, so it will be essential to involve farmers, farming organisations, the private sector, governments and international agencies. While there is rarely a 100% adoption rate for any strategy, we have tangible solutions to reduce livestock enteric methane emissions, while at the same time improving productivity and livelihoods in the places that need it most.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/194822/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Claudia Arndt currently receives funding from the EU, Kenya, and the CGIAR Trust Fund. While working on the research she received funding from Kravis Scientific Research Fund (New York), a gift from Sue and Steve Mandel to the Environmental Defense Fund, UK Global Challenge Research Fund, National Program for Scientific Research and Advanced Studies - PROCIENCIA, and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (issued through Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit).</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Alex Hristov currently receives funding from the USDA-NIFA, industry, and private organizations. While working on the research Hristov received funding from USDA and EDF.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jan Dijkstra receives funding from EU, Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research, Dutch government, and several companies usually via public-private partnerships. He is an active member of ChristenUnie Wageningen. </span></em></p>Tangible solutions would reduce livestock methane emissions, while also improving productivity and livelihoods.Claudia Arndt, Senior Scientist, Team Leader of the Mazingira Centre, International Livestock Research Institute Alex Hristov, Distinguished Professor of Dairy Nutrition, Penn StateJan Dijkstra, Associate Professor Animal Nutrition, Wageningen UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1920352022-10-26T14:41:35Z2022-10-26T14:41:35ZEating lots of meat is bad for the environment – but we don’t know enough about how consumption is changing<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/491310/original/file-20221024-1583-zazmtd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Contrary to official estimates, Britons may still be consuming too much meat.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/butcher-shop-654313183">ALPA PROD/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Responsible for roughly <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34813623/">a third</a> of the UK’s diet-related carbon emissions, the consumption and production of meat is a substantial contributor to climate change. A <a href="https://www.nationalfoodstrategy.org/">report</a> commissioned by the government last year reflects this, finding that people must eat 30% less meat by the end of the decade to reduce the environmental impact of food production.</p>
<p>Research indicates that meat consumption habits have changed. <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(21)00228-X/fulltext">One study</a> reports that the amount of meat eaten each day per person fell by 17.4 g on average in the UK between 2008 and 2019. </p>
<p>This result has been <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/food/2021/oct/08/cuts-uk-meat-consumption-doubled-health-researchers-food">widely reported</a> and was obtained by analysing the meat consumption data published in the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-diet-and-nutrition-survey">National Diet and Nutrition Survey</a>. By asking participants to record how much of a certain food they have eaten over a given time period, the survey captures nationally representative data on the food people are eating in the UK.</p>
<p>Our <a href="https://wellcomeopenresearch.org/articles/6-350/v2">research</a> compared this trend to other datasets and instead suggests that the reduction in meat consumption could be far smaller. Britons may still be consuming too much meat, with profound environmental consequences.</p>
<h2>Recording meat consumption</h2>
<p>Trends in food consumption are estimated using three types of dataset: dietary recall surveys (which include the National Diet and Nutrition Survey), household budget surveys and food balance sheets. Each dataset is constructed using a different type of information and the accuracy of each is unclear.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/491315/original/file-20221024-25-9gb235.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A woman selecting a packet of meat from the meat section of a supermarket." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/491315/original/file-20221024-25-9gb235.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/491315/original/file-20221024-25-9gb235.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=359&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491315/original/file-20221024-25-9gb235.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=359&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491315/original/file-20221024-25-9gb235.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=359&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491315/original/file-20221024-25-9gb235.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=451&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491315/original/file-20221024-25-9gb235.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=451&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491315/original/file-20221024-25-9gb235.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=451&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Household budget surveys can be used as an indirect measure of food consumption.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/woman-purchasing-packet-meat-supermarket-1109534852">LADO/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Household budget surveys ask participants to record how much of a particular food item they have purchased. Fewer meat purchases tends to mean less household meat consumption. <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/family-food-statistics">Household budget surveys</a> show just a 3% decline (-4.6 g) in meat purchases in the UK from 2008 to 2019.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/FBS">Food balance sheets</a> instead measure how much food is available to buy and are constructed using industry data. In practise, a rise in meat supply suggests that an increasing amount of meat is being consumed. Meat supply increased by 5% (10.9 g) in the UK over the same period.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A graph showing the reduction in meat consumption between the three datasets between 2008 and 2018." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/510836/original/file-20230217-18-wwl3re.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/510836/original/file-20230217-18-wwl3re.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=376&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510836/original/file-20230217-18-wwl3re.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=376&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510836/original/file-20230217-18-wwl3re.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=376&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510836/original/file-20230217-18-wwl3re.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=473&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510836/original/file-20230217-18-wwl3re.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=473&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510836/original/file-20230217-18-wwl3re.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=473&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The levels of of meat reduction vary between the three datasets. PHD = Planetary Health Diet recommendations of 43g of meat per.
day.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Although neither household budget surveys or food balance sheets directly measure consumption, they are often used to approximate changes in consumption patterns. Compared to the trends captured by the National Diet and Nutrition Survey, household budget surveys imply a smaller decline in UK meat consumption while food balance sheets imply an increase in meat consumption. </p>
<p>This variation means that we cannot be certain about which dataset provides the closest approximation of actual meat consumption. Two factors are responsible for the wide range in consumption estimates.</p>
<h2>1. Underreporting</h2>
<p>Surveys often depend on inaccurate data. As they rely on <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/130/8/2049/4686379">individual reporting</a>, both household budget surveys and dietary recall surveys are subject to <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/nutrition-research-reviews/article/assessing-dietary-intake-who-what-and-why-of-underreporting/BE3AD33BD7839172C1C7E8D9FE5EC98B">underreporting</a>. This can occur when respondents accidentally forget to record the food that they have eaten or do not wish to declare it. </p>
<p>Underreporting seems to be <a href="https://www.bi.team/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/16-07-12-Counting-Calories-Final.pdf">increasing over time</a>. This could be the result of many factors, but <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17433123/">some studies</a> have found that underreporting is significantly higher in overweight and obese individuals.</p>
<p><a href="https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn03336/">Rising obesity rates</a>, increased snacking outside the home, and falling survey response rates have all interfered with the accuracy of dietary data. According to the Office for National Statistics, the National Diet and Nutrition Survey may have underestimated calorie intake <a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/conditionsanddiseases/methodologies/agovernmentstatisticalserviceperspectiveonofficialestimatesofcalorieconsumption2019update">by as much as 34%</a> in 2019. </p>
<p>Even if there has been no change to actual consumption, the large fall in meat consumption estimated by the National Diet & Nutrition Survey could be due to increased under-reporting.</p>
<h2>2. Waste</h2>
<p>As food balance sheets rely on industry data, they are less subject to underreporting. But the amount of food that is wasted can also interfere with the accuracy of dietary data.</p>
<p>As indirect measures of consumption, food balance sheets and household budget surveys incorporate food wastage. Food on the supermarket shelf can either be bought or wasted, just as food that has been purchased can be consumed or thrown away. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/491318/original/file-20221024-25-yfnpwj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A pile of plastic bags on the pavement with a blue car parked on the road in the background." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/491318/original/file-20221024-25-yfnpwj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/491318/original/file-20221024-25-yfnpwj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491318/original/file-20221024-25-yfnpwj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491318/original/file-20221024-25-yfnpwj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491318/original/file-20221024-25-yfnpwj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491318/original/file-20221024-25-yfnpwj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/491318/original/file-20221024-25-yfnpwj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Waste can also interfere with the accuracy of dietary data.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/pile-black-plastic-bags-that-contains-2130194213">tawanroong/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Changes in waste can therefore result in apparent (but not actual) changes in consumption. A reported increase in consumption could actually be masking an increase in food waste.</p>
<p>Change in the quantity of food wasted will affect the difference between true consumption and apparent consumption, measured using household budget surveys or food balance sheets. If meat waste increased and actual meat consumption decreased by the same amount: apparent meat consumption would not change.</p>
<p>This could conceal trends in declining consumption. An increase in the quantity of meat wasted could potentially be responsible for the differences in trends between the three types of dataset.</p>
<p>As a direct measure of consumption, dietary recall surveys do not include waste. Unlike household budget surveys and food balance sheets, their accuracy will not be affected by changes in the quantity of waste.</p>
<p>Some datasets suggest that UK meat consumption is declining, while other datasets suggest that uk meat consumption is on the rise. </p>
<p>Our research suggests that the decline in UK meat consumption could be much less than officially estimated. Further steps must be taken to ensure we meet the targets for a healthy and sustainable food system.</p>
<p>Better data collection on food waste and underreporting is needed. Data on the extent of underreporting in dietary datasets and the proportion of food wasted at each stage of the production chain would be a start, providing consistency in long-term dietary trends. This would allow the use of multiple different dietary datasets to more accurately approximate consumption. </p>
<p><em>This article was updated on January 20th 2023 to incorporate updated data from the FAO and to adjust for methodological changes.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/192035/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Emma Garnett is a member of the Green Party of England Wales.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kerry Smith does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Official estimates indicate that meat consumption is falling in the UK – but not all of the data agrees.Kerry Smith, PhD candidate in Biological Sciences, University of ReadingEmma Garnett, Researcher in the Health Behaviours Team, University of OxfordLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1894642022-10-21T02:53:38Z2022-10-21T02:53:38ZWhat is the ‘carnivore diet’ and is it a bad idea?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/488450/original/file-20221006-18-7tvd4t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=20%2C0%2C6918%2C4626&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Kyle Mackie/Unsplash</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>You may have heard of the carnivore diet, and the claims it is beneficial for our health. </p>
<p>Many diet trends, such as the paleo and Atkins diets, advocate high protein and low carbohydrate intake. But the carnivore diet takes this trend to the extreme.</p>
<p>So what is it, and is it bad for your health?</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1576591443753283585"}"></div></p>
<h2>What is the carnivore diet?</h2>
<p>As the name implies, the carnivore diet involves only eating meat and animal products. </p>
<p>There is no official definition, but followers of this diet advocate eating red meat, pork, chicken and other poultry, eggs, fish and seafood. Some low-lactose dairy can be included, such as cheese and yoghurt.</p>
<p>All plant foods are typically excluded. So no fruit, vegetables, legumes, grains or nuts and seeds.</p>
<p>An example of what you could eat on a typical day might be:</p>
<p>Breakfast: eggs and bacon (without toast)</p>
<p>Lunch: lamb burger (without the bun)</p>
<p>Dinner: rib eye steak (with no sides)</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/488452/original/file-20221006-18-t35o86.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Frypan containing two eggs and bacon bits" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/488452/original/file-20221006-18-t35o86.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/488452/original/file-20221006-18-t35o86.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/488452/original/file-20221006-18-t35o86.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/488452/original/file-20221006-18-t35o86.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/488452/original/file-20221006-18-t35o86.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/488452/original/file-20221006-18-t35o86.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/488452/original/file-20221006-18-t35o86.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A standard breakfast on the carnivore diet might be eggs and bacon without toast or sides.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Pexels/freestocksorg</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Are there any nutritional benefits?</h2>
<p>The short answer is no. </p>
<p>It may be theoretically possible to get all essential vitamins and mineral from animal products. For example, <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/five-food-groups/lean-meat-and-poultry-fish-eggs-tofu-nuts-and-seeds-and">lean red meat</a> is a good source of iron, zinc and vitamin B12, while oily fish is a good source of essential fatty acids, such as omega-3s. </p>
<p>But unless your diet is very well planned, eating only animal meat could lead to insufficient intake of certain vitamins and minerals. This is especially the case with vitamin C and folate, where the main food sources are <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/five-food-groups/fruit">fruits</a>, vegetables and wholegrains.</p>
<p>Importantly, dietary fibre is noticeably absent from a carnivore diet. This is a problem because a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7589116/">low-fibre diet</a> can increase your risk of diabetes, heart disease and some cancers.</p>
<p>To avoid any dietary deficiencies, the <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/guidelines/australian-guide-healthy-eating">Australian Guide to Healthy Eating</a> recommends eating from the five core food groups: fruits, vegetables, cereals, lean meats and dairy.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/whats-this-longevity-diet-and-will-it-really-make-you-live-longer-189140">What's this 'longevity' diet, and will it really make you live longer?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Is it bad for your health?</h2>
<p>Most likely. </p>
<p>Most evidence for benefits of this diet is anecdotal – based on personal experiences, rather than scientific evidence.</p>
<p>A recent <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34934897/">article</a> identified self-reported health benefits and high satisfaction among adults who followed a carnivore diet for six months or more. However, since the study involved asking people how much they liked a diet they had chosen to put themselves on, we can’t conclude much from its findings.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1577362557681090560"}"></div></p>
<p>When it comes to high protein diets in general, we know the amount and quality of protein matters.</p>
<p><a href="https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2016/FO/C5FO01530H">Research</a> tells us sustaining a high protein diet over a long period of time (six months or more) could impair the ability of our liver, intestine and kidneys to detoxify ammonia, which is the waste product made by our body during the digestion of protein. </p>
<p>For example, a 12-month <a href="https://cjasn.asnjournals.org/content/7/7/1103?ijkey=10c6c32b5e585c6343c3bee3caf2a1d4f1a5a2c8&keytype2=tf_ipsecsha">randomised controlled trial</a> looked at how protein affects kidney function. Researchers prescribed adults to either an Atkins diet (30% of total energy intake from protein) or a control diet (15% of total energy intake from protein, which is close to the <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/health-conditions-and-risks/australian-health-survey-nutrition-first-results-foods-and-nutrients/latest-release">typical Australian diet</a>). </p>
<p>The trial reported a rise in clearance of creatinine (a product of protein digestion) in adults on the Atkins diet at 12 months, but not 24 months. This could suggest that after a time, the kidneys became less able to clear away potentially harmful byproducts of excess protein, leading to <a href="https://jasn.asnjournals.org/content/31/8/1667">kidney injury</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/488453/original/file-20221006-26-doxrbv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Slices of beef on a chopping board" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/488453/original/file-20221006-26-doxrbv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/488453/original/file-20221006-26-doxrbv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/488453/original/file-20221006-26-doxrbv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/488453/original/file-20221006-26-doxrbv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/488453/original/file-20221006-26-doxrbv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/488453/original/file-20221006-26-doxrbv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/488453/original/file-20221006-26-doxrbv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The only study on the carnivore diet was a self-reported survey of people who had chosen to go on the diet.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Emerson vieira/Unsplash</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>However, because of the limited food selection, high cost of meat, repetitive nature of many high protein diets, and concerns over whether it would be ethical, there aren’t many long-term trials. </p>
<p>That said, evidence from large and long-term observational studies tells us diets high in red meat and processed meats increase our risk of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34284672/">heart disease</a> and many <a href="https://www.wcrf.org/diet-activity-and-cancer/risk-factors/meat-fish-dairy-and-cancer-risk/">cancers</a>.</p>
<p>While one person may be able to sustain a carnivore diet for months, or even years, without any health complications, that’s certainly not going to be the case for everyone.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-are-fasting-diets-and-do-they-help-you-lose-weight-76644">What are 'fasting' diets and do they help you lose weight?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>How much meat is too much?</h2>
<p>For an adult, a <a href="https://jasn.asnjournals.org/content/31/8/1667">high-protein diet</a> is generally defined as consuming 2 grams or more of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. </p>
<p>So for an 80kg male, this would be 160g of protein per day. And what does 160g of protein in whole foods look like? It’s about equivalent to six medium lamb chops a day (<a href="https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/science/monitoringnutrients/afcd/Pages/fooddetails.aspx?PFKID=F005026">550g of meat</a>).</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="An illustration showing six medium lamb loin chops weighing 550g and containing 160g of protein on one side, and one 65g small lamb chop on the other – the recommended dietary intake." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/490988/original/file-20221020-13-9l7xh6.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/490988/original/file-20221020-13-9l7xh6.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/490988/original/file-20221020-13-9l7xh6.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/490988/original/file-20221020-13-9l7xh6.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/490988/original/file-20221020-13-9l7xh6.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=711&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/490988/original/file-20221020-13-9l7xh6.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=711&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/490988/original/file-20221020-13-9l7xh6.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=711&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">The Conversation</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>When we compare this with national guidelines, the <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/the_guidelines/n55a_australian_dietary_guidelines_summary_130530.pdf">Australian Dietary Guidelines</a> recommend the average adult eats a maximum of 455g of cooked lean red meat per week (or 65g a day, equivalent to one small lamb chop). </p>
<p>For heart health specifically, the <a href="https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/getmedia/d5b9c4a2-8ccb-4fe9-87a2-d4a34541c272/Nutrition_Position_Statement_-_MEAT.pdf">Heart Foundation</a> recommends eating less than 350g of cooked unprocessed red meat per week (50g a day).</p>
<h2>So what’s the verdict?</h2>
<p>The <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/article/S0140-6736(19)30041-8/fulltext">strongest evidence</a> shows eating a diet rich in whole plant foods, such as fruit and vegetables, with a moderate amount of lean and unprocessed red meat, poultry and fish is <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/the_guidelines/n55a_australian_dietary_guidelines_summary_130530.pdf">good for our health</a>.</p>
<p>For this reason, the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/joim.13333">Mediterranean diet</a> has become ubiquitous with a healthy diet. </p>
<p>If you are considering trying a high-protein diet, it’s recommended to first consult a health professional, such as an <a href="https://member.dietitiansaustralia.org.au/faapd">accredited practising dietitian</a>.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/189464/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Dr Katherine Livingstone receives funding from a National Health and Medical Research Council Investigator Grant (APP1173803).</span></em></p>You may have heard about the “carnivore diet”, which, as you can imagine, is made up mostly of meat. Here’s why a balanced diet is a better idea.Katherine Livingstone, NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow and Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Deakin UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1878932022-10-04T12:25:06Z2022-10-04T12:25:06ZSupreme Court grapples with animal welfare in a challenge to a California law requiring pork to be humanely raised<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/486884/original/file-20220927-14-49sf36.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=26%2C5%2C3557%2C2364&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Pig farming may evoke images like this, but the reality for most commercial pork production is very different.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/different-coloured-piglets-looking-into-the-camera-royalty-free-image/1055964804">linephoto via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Should Californians be able to require higher welfare standards for farm animals that are raised in other states if products from those animals are to be sold in California? The U.S. Supreme Court will confront that question when it hears oral argument in <a href="https://www.oyez.org/cases/2022/21-468">National Pork Producers Council v. Ross</a> on Oct. 11, 2022.</p>
<p>Pork producers are challenging a law that California voters <a href="https://ballotpedia.org/California_Proposition_12,_Farm_Animal_Confinement_Initiative_(2018)">adopted in 2018</a> via ballot initiative with over 63% approval. It set new conditions for raising hogs, veal calves and egg-laying chickens, whose meat or eggs are sold in California. The state represents <a href="https://nppc.org/ca-prop-12/">about 15% of the U.S. pork market</a>. </p>
<p>At most commercial hog farms, pregnant sows are kept in “gestation crates” that measure 2 feet by 7 feet – enough room for the animals to <a href="http://animalwelfare.ucdavis.edu/uploads/6/3/7/0/63703691/prop_12_faq_swine.pdf">sit, stand and lie down, but not enough to turn around</a>. California’s law requires that each sow must have <a href="https://law.justia.com/codes/california/2010/hsc/25990-25994.html#:%7E:text=25990.,(b)%20Turning%20around%20freely.">at least 24 square feet of floor space</a> – nearly double the amount that most now get. It does not require farmers to raise free-range pigs, just to provide more square feet when they keep hogs in buildings. </p>
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<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/I_rCRgCcjW8?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Pork farmers say gestation crates keep pregnant sows from fighting, but animal welfare advocates call the devices inhumane.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The <a href="https://nppc.org/">National Pork Producers Council</a> argues that this requirement <a href="https://nppc.org/ca-prop-12/">imposes heavy compliance costs</a> on farmers across the U.S., since large hog farms may house <a href="https://www.nationalhogfarmer.com/reproduction/does-farm-size-matter-swine-production">thousands of sows</a> and that it restricts interstate commerce. The Constitution’s commerce clause <a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/commerce_clause">delegates authority to regulate interstate commerce to the federal government</a>. In a series of cases over the past 50 years, the Supreme Court has made clear that it will strike down any state law that seeks to <a href="https://www.oyez.org/cases/2006/05-1345">control commerce in another state or give preference to in-state commerce</a>. </p>
<p>Farmers and animal welfare advocates understand that if California wins, states with the most progressive animal welfare policies – primarily West Coast and Northeast states – will be able to effectively set national standards for the well-being of many agricultural animals, including chickens, dairy and cattle. Conceivably, California might also be able to require basic conditions for human labor, such as minimum wage standards, associated with products sold in California.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/chart-gallery/gallery/chart-detail/?chartId=103505">Nine other states</a> have already adopted laws requiring pork producers to phase out gestation crates. Massachusetts’s law would also apply to retail sales of pork raised elsewhere, like California’s, but <a href="https://www.foodqualityandsafety.com/article/court-orders-delay-of-massachusetts-pork-production-law/">its enforcement is on hold</a> pending the Supreme Court’s ruling in the California case.</p>
<h2>States control farm animal welfare</h2>
<p>The main federal law that regulates living conditions for animals is the <a href="https://www.nal.usda.gov/animal-health-and-welfare/animal-welfare-act">Animal Welfare Act</a>, which was signed into law in 1966. Among other things, it requires the Department of Agriculture to adopt humane regulations for the keeping of animals that are exhibited in zoos and circuses or sold as pets. However, farm animals are <a href="https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalwelfare/sa_awa">explicitly exempted from the definition of “animal</a>.” </p>
<p>While the federal government is mute on farm animal welfare, each state clearly has the power to regulate this issue within its borders. For example, in recent years, nine states have <a href="https://blog.humanesociety.org/2021/06/breaking-nevada-becomes-ninth-state-to-ban-cages-for-egg-laying-hens.html">outlawed housing egg-laying chickens in “battery cages</a>” that have been the industry standard for decades. These wire enclosures are so small that <a href="https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/08/15/weekinreview/15marsh-grfk.html">the birds cannot spread their wings</a>. </p>
<p>Since many states still permit battery cages, egg-laying chickens’ quality of life depends on the state in which they reside. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/486883/original/file-20220927-12-nldpmb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Shelves lined with small wire cages, each holding multiple chickens." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/486883/original/file-20220927-12-nldpmb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/486883/original/file-20220927-12-nldpmb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=407&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/486883/original/file-20220927-12-nldpmb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=407&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/486883/original/file-20220927-12-nldpmb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=407&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/486883/original/file-20220927-12-nldpmb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=511&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/486883/original/file-20220927-12-nldpmb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=511&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/486883/original/file-20220927-12-nldpmb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=511&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Chickens in battery cages on an Iowa poultry farm.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/ChinaChickenTrade/d5d0a3185fab492b8d39486d57e0ed4a/photo">AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall</a></span>
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<p>It is also clear that the state of California has no power to adopt laws that are binding on the farmers of other states. This case falls between those two points – here’s how:</p>
<h2>California’s market power</h2>
<p>The California law says that if producers want to sell pork in California, they must raise pigs under conditions that comply with the state’s regulations. Farmers do not have to meet these standards unless they want to sell in California. The same requirement is applied to producers located in California and those based elsewhere, so the law does not directly discriminate between states in a way that would constitute a clear commerce clause violation.</p>
<p>Producers of <a href="https://www.poultryworld.net/poultry/cage-free-us-egg-industry-sooner-rather-than-later/">eggs</a> and <a href="https://www.agupdate.com/missourifarmertoday/news/livestock/builder-sees-producers-adapting-to-prop-12/article_f2c43598-ed80-11ec-a8bc-af01d15c519d.html">veal</a> who sell in California are on track to implement new space requirements for their animals under the law. In my view, however, much of the pork industry appears to be in denial. Instead of working out how to comply, the National Pork Producers Council wants the courts to set the California law aside.</p>
<p>Even as this case moves forward, however, major producers including <a href="https://www.hormelfoods.com/newsroom/news/hormel-foods-company-information-about-california-proposition-12/">Hormel</a> and <a href="https://s22.q4cdn.com/104708849/files/doc_financials/2021/q3/08-11-21_Tyson-Foods-080921.pdf">Tyson</a> have said they will be able to comply with the California standard. Niman Ranch, a network of family farmers and ranchers who raise livestock humanely and sustainably, has <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/21/21-468/233498/20220815141539359_21-468_Amicus%20Brief.pdf">filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court supporting California</a>.</p>
<p>Admittedly, pork farmers have invested millions of dollars in their existing facilities, and the system efficiently produces <a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/animal-products/hogs-pork/sector-at-a-glance/">huge quantities of cheap pork</a>. But Californians have taken the position that this output comes at an ethically unacceptable cost to animals in the system. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1559304806526763009"}"></div></p>
<h2>Weighing ethics against compliance costs</h2>
<p>In considering this case, the Supreme Court will confront two questions. First, does California’s requirement constitute a burden on interstate commerce? A U.S. District Court in California held that <a href="https://www.oyez.org/cases/2022/21-468">the answer was no</a>, and the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed this ruling. </p>
<p>There is no magical formula for what constitutes a burden on interstate commerce, so it is impossible to know in advance what the Supreme Court will say about this point of the case. The present court has not addressed this issue.</p>
<p>If the court should decide that the California law does restrict interstate commerce, it then must consider whether the measure meets the “Pike test,” which was set forth in the 1970 ruling <a href="https://www.oyez.org/cases/1969/301">Pike v. Bruce Church, Inc.</a>. In this case, the court held that a state law that “regulates even-handedly” must be upheld unless the burden that the law imposes on interstate commerce “is clearly excessive in relation to the putative local benefits.” Put another way, is Californians’ social interest in better welfare for pigs substantially outweighed by the economic cost to producers? </p>
<p>In another 2010 ruling, <a href="https://www.oyez.org/cases/2009/08-769">United States v. Stevens</a>, the court acknowledged that “the prohibition of animal cruelty itself has a long history in American law, starting with the early settlement of the Colonies.” However, the court concluded that depictions of animal cruelty – the plaintiff had been convicted for producing and distributing dogfighting videos – qualified as protected speech under the First Amendment and that this protection outweighed society’s interest in promoting animal welfare.</p>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">This video from the Rodale Institute, a nonprofit that conducts research, training and consumer education on organic agriculture, compares raising pigs on pasture to the large-scale confined model that dominates the pork industry.</span></figcaption>
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<h2>Is a national standard in the cards?</h2>
<p>Many animal welfare questions involve striking this kind of balance between ethical positions and economic consequences in a political context. It is like mixing oil and water, which makes predictions difficult. </p>
<p>The biggest unknown is what views the newest Supreme Court justices will bring to this case. Only four current justices – John Roberts, Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Sonia Sotomayor – were members of the court when it ruled on the Stevens case in 2010. Will today’s court support California’s right to regulate products sold within its borders, or meat corporations’ economic arguments? How many justices will see farm animal welfare as an important public concern? </p>
<p>I expect that the court will uphold the California law – and that if this happens, within five years livestock producers will be proposing national legislation setting uniform welfare standards for farm animals. It is impossible to predict now whether a national law would improve animal welfare or adopt existing poor welfare practices.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/187893/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>David Favre does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Pork producers are challenging a California law that animal welfare advocates call the most important measure for farm animal protection in decades.David Favre, Professor of Law at Michigan State University College of Law, Michigan State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1880232022-08-10T15:34:23Z2022-08-10T15:34:23ZA meat tax is probably inevitable – here’s how it could work<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/477645/original/file-20220804-1334-ckx2sj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C3000%2C1998&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/carbon-label-tax-price-on-meat-1985193194">HollyHarry/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Rearing livestock and growing crops to feed them has destroyed more <a href="https://ourworldindata.org/what-are-drivers-deforestation">tropical forest</a> and <a href="https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/press-release/our-global-food-system-primary-driver-biodiversity-loss">killed more wildlife</a> than any other industry. Animal agriculture also produces vast quantities of greenhouse gas emissions and pollution. </p>
<p>The environmental consequences are so profound that the world <a href="https://ourworldindata.org/food-emissions-carbon-budget">cannot meet climate goals</a> and keep ecosystems intact without rich countries reducing their consumption of beef, pork and chicken.</p>
<p>To slash emissions, slow the loss of biodiversity and secure food for a growing world population, there must be a change in the way meat and dairy is made and consumed. </p>
<p>A rapidly evolving market for <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-scientists-make-plant-based-foods-taste-and-look-more-like-meat-156839">novel alternatives</a>, such as plant-based burgers, has made the switch from meat easier. Yet in countries such as Britain, meat consumption has not fallen fast enough in recent years to sufficiently rein in <a href="https://theconversation.com/meat-eating-drops-by-17-over-a-decade-in-the-uk-new-research-168626">agricultural emissions</a>.</p>
<p>Instead, prices on meat and other animal products will eventually need to reflect all this damage. There are several ways to do this, but each intervention poses its own difficulties.</p>
<p>In our view, the most likely result will be simple, direct taxes on meat and animal products. <a href="https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/721078">Our latest research</a>, published in the Review of Environmental Economics and Policy, considered how an environmental tax on meat could work. </p>
<p>Our calculations suggest that the average retail price for meat in high-income countries would need to increase by 35%-56% for beef, 25% for poultry, and 19% for lamb and pork to reflect the environmental costs of their production. In the UK, where the average price for a 200g beef steak is around <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/295332/average-beef-prices-in-united-kingdom-uk/">£2.80</a>, consumers would pay between £3.80 and £4.30 at the checkout instead.</p>
<p>Fortunately, our research found that a meat tax, if implemented correctly, need not increase the pressure on poorer households – or the farming industry.</p>
<h2>Fairer, healthier and greener food</h2>
<p>Before food prices soared in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the idea of a meat tax was already being mulled by agricultural ministers in countries like <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-49281111">Germany</a> and <a href="https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2022/03/dutch-look-into-taxing-meat-as-part-of-shift-towards-vegetable-protein/">the Netherlands</a>. Even if a meat tax is currently unthinkable in the current political environment, higher taxes on meat and dairy may become inevitable to decarbonise agriculture at the necessary pace for limiting global heating to at least 1.5°C. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/global-food-system-emissions-alone-threaten-warming-beyond-1-5-c-but-we-can-act-now-to-stop-it-149312">Global food system emissions alone threaten warming beyond 1.5°C – but we can act now to stop it</a>
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<p>Our analysis showed that by redistributing revenue from a tax on the sale of meat and animal products evenly across the population, in the form of uniform lump sum payments at the end of each year perhaps, most people on low incomes would have more money than before the tax reform. </p>
<p>Would people spend this compensation on meat or other products tied to high levels of pollution? Research from British Columbia in Canada showed that returning the proceeds from a carbon tax to citizens had <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0301421515300550?casa_token=WU0LbyFQMhQAAAAA:EzJ1JNZdajFJlSxWDSv33JD2agiPHZYYOPVmsWhUUz3RNz5IGJq1H-LF26jIf3r2z29jkqDwp-0">no significant effect</a> on how much the province cut emissions (between 5% and 15%). Making meat relatively more expensive would most likely encourage people to spend their money elsewhere.</p>
<p>Part of the tax revenue could finance subsidies for growing vegetables, grains and alternative proteins, or help low-income households meet their food bills on a more regular basis.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A diner enjoys a Greek salad with a glass of white wine." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/477651/original/file-20220804-16-2y8cqh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/477651/original/file-20220804-16-2y8cqh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477651/original/file-20220804-16-2y8cqh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477651/original/file-20220804-16-2y8cqh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477651/original/file-20220804-16-2y8cqh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477651/original/file-20220804-16-2y8cqh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477651/original/file-20220804-16-2y8cqh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The healthier (and cheaper) choice.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/fresh-vegan-green-greek-salad-leaves-1930403528">Dariatorchukova/Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>Just as meat and dairy must become more expensive, healthy and sustainable plant-based foods should become more affordable. Using revenue from a meat tax to cut value-added taxes on fruit, vegetables, and grains for example, could provide much-needed relief to poorer households during a cost of living crisis, while encouraging everyone to reduce their intake of animal products.</p>
<h2>Levelling the playing field</h2>
<p>Other types of regulation, such as stricter rules on managing animal feed or manure more sustainably, run the risk of putting domestic livestock farmers at a disadvantage compared to competitors from abroad who are not burdened with the additional costs of complying with these rules. This is why a form of “border adjustment”, as economists call it, is also necessary to include products from overseas. </p>
<p>A tax levied on any firm selling meat – including restaurants and cafes as well as supermarkets – in a given country would capture all meat producers. <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-018-0201-2">Other research</a> indicates that consumers are typically more supportive of environmental taxes of this nature if they are phased in with a lower tax rate initially.</p>
<p>Some of the revenue raised by the tax could be given directly to farmers, leaving them with higher profits than before. This could be paid according to their work <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030691922030227X">stewarding the land</a>, restoring habitats like peat bogs. Or, it could help them invest in the transition to new income streams, such as producing high-quality, organic meat from low-density herds which, when consumed in much lower quantities, may still be compatible with emissions targets.</p>
<p>Taking steps to make plant-based foods more affordable and meat substitutes more attractive will pave the way for a future in which it’s possible to make meat and dairy much more expensive. The good news is that – once their time has come – meat taxes could actually help us eat better, at lower cost. </p>
<p>If implemented correctly, a meat tax could protect the environment, while helping secure a sustainable future for livestock farmers, as well as affordable and sustainable food for all.</p>
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<img alt="Imagine weekly climate newsletter" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Healthier and more sustainable food could be made cheaper as meat and dairy becomes more expensive.Cameron Hepburn, Professor of Environmental Economics, University of OxfordFranziska Funke, Associate Doctoral Researcher in Environmental Economics, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact ResearchLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1867412022-07-12T03:15:52Z2022-07-12T03:15:52ZWhat is foot and mouth disease? Why farmers fear ‘apocalyptic bonfires of burning carcasses’<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/473508/original/file-20220712-18-vk29k0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=22%2C0%2C2980%2C1994&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Foot and mouth disease – usually referred to by its acronym FMD – is the most feared livestock disease in the world. It can cripple the livestock sector, cause immense animal suffering, destroy farmer businesses, create food insecurity and has massive trade impacts for Australia.</p>
<p>It’s little wonder Australian farmers, rural communities, consumers and governments have reacted to the incursion and spread of FMD through Indonesia with dread.</p>
<p>This high impact livestock disease has not been on our doorstep <a href="https://www.agriculture.gov.au/about/news/media-releases/media-statement-foot-and-mouth-disease-detected-indonesia">since the 1980s</a>. Keeping it out is a new challenge and a national priority.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1546645532390612993"}"></div></p>
<h2>What is foot and mouth disease?</h2>
<p>This disease is caused by a viral infection. It’s present in many areas of southeast Asia, and most recently in Indonesia, where it has so far spread eastwards to Bali. Papua New Guinea, Australia and the South Pacific are <a href="https://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/pests-disease-weeds/animal/fmd#the-consequences-of-an-fmd-outbreak-in-australia">historically FMD-free</a>.</p>
<p>What makes FMD virus so remarkable is its <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC387408/">environmental resistance</a>. It can persist on many inanimate objects, such as equipment used with livestock, people’s clothing and shoes, on the tyres of vehicles and in livestock transport. </p>
<p>It can also persist in livestock feed and livestock products, such as meat and hides. It can even remain infectious on the hands and within noses of those in contact with infected livestock. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1546625618543927296"}"></div></p>
<p>This means everything associated with infected livestock can become contaminated. On the positive side, FMD is not a disease that readily infects humans, and meat and milk from infected livestock are considered <a href="https://www.mpi.govt.nz/biosecurity/plans-for-responding-to-serious-disease-outbreaks/foot-and-mouth-disease/potential-effects-of-a-foot-and-mouth-outbreak/">safe to consume</a>.</p>
<p>Still, despite human safety, countries free of FMD would not buy Australian meat or milk if we became infected because of the fear of importing the disease.</p>
<p>The nature of this virus is what scares agricultural industries. FMD virus could plausibly be introduced via a tourist’s contaminated shoes, or through smuggled meat products in a passenger’s bag or the mail. There is a plethora of incursion pathways.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1544981001700401152"}"></div></p>
<h2>How does FMD affect animals?</h2>
<p>FMD affects cloven-hoofed animals, such as cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and deer. FMD is one of the most <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC387408/">contagious diseases</a> known – it’s at least as contagious as the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in some situations, for example.</p>
<p>The characteristic sign in FMD infected animals is blisters. These are apparent in the mouths and hooves of infected animals – especially in the soft tissue immediately above the hoof, and between the two toes that form the hoof. </p>
<p>Rupture of these blisters produce ulcers. FMD lesions are very painful: animals stop walking, stop eating and drool. The severity of signs vary with different strains of FMD virus and different species. </p>
<p>Another remarkable characteristic is that within an infected herd or flock, nearly all animals become infected and sick, yet few will die from the disease in normal circumstances. It is a high morbidity, low mortality disease with a massive economic impact.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/473500/original/file-20220712-18-yu3iaa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A vet inspects a cow lying down" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/473500/original/file-20220712-18-yu3iaa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/473500/original/file-20220712-18-yu3iaa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/473500/original/file-20220712-18-yu3iaa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/473500/original/file-20220712-18-yu3iaa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/473500/original/file-20220712-18-yu3iaa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/473500/original/file-20220712-18-yu3iaa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/473500/original/file-20220712-18-yu3iaa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The characteristic sign in FMD infected animals is blisters.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">EPA/Bagus Indahono</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Why FMD is so hard to control</h2>
<p>FMD is globally distributed and globally feared. Infected countries are isolated from the global livestock trade.</p>
<p>There are a large number of FMD <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC387408/">virus strains</a>. This is important because one measure to prevent economic and welfare impacts is to vaccinate susceptible livestock. </p>
<p>However, the vaccine needs to match closely with the strain in a region that is causing FMD. Also, the protection period is generally short-lived, perhaps 12 months or less.</p>
<p>Maintaining high levels of vaccination and herd immunity is challenging in livestock populations, especially in developing countries. It requires an advanced system of livestock identification, and advanced vaccine manufacture and delivery infrastructure.</p>
<p>Another problem is the host range of FMD. Besides managed livestock, in Australia FMD virus could infect feral pigs, feral goats and wild deer. </p>
<p>Once the infection enters these unmanaged populations, disease control becomes exponentially more difficult. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/one-of-the-most-damaging-invasive-species-on-earth-wild-pigs-release-the-same-emissions-as-1-million-cars-each-year-163250">'One of the most damaging invasive species on Earth': wild pigs release the same emissions as 1 million cars each year</a>
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<p>For example, we haven’t been able to successfully manage <a href="https://theconversation.com/one-of-the-most-damaging-invasive-species-on-earth-wild-pigs-release-the-same-emissions-as-1-million-cars-each-year-163250">feral pigs</a>, despite the massive damage they inflict to our environment, such as degrading our waterways and threatening native species. </p>
<p>If Australia’s feral population gets infected, it might mean we can never eradicate FMD, should an incursion occur.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/473509/original/file-20220712-16-pr826k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Four black feral pigs" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/473509/original/file-20220712-16-pr826k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/473509/original/file-20220712-16-pr826k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=393&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/473509/original/file-20220712-16-pr826k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=393&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/473509/original/file-20220712-16-pr826k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=393&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/473509/original/file-20220712-16-pr826k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=494&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/473509/original/file-20220712-16-pr826k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=494&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/473509/original/file-20220712-16-pr826k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=494&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Foot and mouth disease may be impossible to eradicate if the virus infected feral pigs.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>The response</h2>
<p>When responding to an FMD incursion in developed countries such as Australia, the goal is eradication. Based on the economic impacts of the disease, it’s less costly in the long run to eradicate than to live with the disease.</p>
<p>Perhaps the best example of such a response is when FMD entered the United Kingdom in 2001. How it entered is unknown, but <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-35581830">a theory</a> is the virus entered from illegally imported infected meat fed to Northumberland pigs. </p>
<p>There was a delay in detection. By the time authorities recognised the problem, the infection had spread widely. The response involved identifying both infected premises and those likely to be infected because of possible contact with the virus, and then culling all livestock on those premises. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.nao.org.uk/report/the-2001-outbreak-of-foot-and-mouth-disease/">This devastated</a> the UK’s agriculture and tourism sectors, resulted in the death of more than 6.5 million livestock and cost £8 billion. The <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-35581830">media coverage</a> presented images of apocalyptic bonfires of burning carcasses and soldiers digging mass graves.</p>
<p>Even if a country demonstrates that elimination has been successful, it still won’t be able to trade again for many months, as its trading partners respond. This is why it’s so important to get on top of any incursion <a href="https://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/pests-diseases-weeds/animal/fmd#how-could-fmd-virus-enter-australia">rapidly</a>.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/hear-me-out-we-could-use-the-varroa-mite-to-wipe-out-feral-honey-bees-and-help-australias-environment-185959">Hear me out – we could use the varroa mite to wipe out feral honey bees, and help Australia's environment</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>The closest analogy to an FMD response we’re familiar with is the incursion of <a href="https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/animals-and-livestock/horses/health-and-disease/influenza/summary-of-the-200708-ei-outbreak">equine influenza</a> (“horse flu”) in New South Wales and Queensland in 2007. </p>
<p>Although culling isn’t part of the response for to equine influenza, the bans on horse movements and equine events, the mobilisation of a large veterinary workforce, and the creation of disease “zones” would be repeated, with the same disruptive effect on communities.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1545899659683840000"}"></div></p>
<p>To Australia’s advantage, because FMD is such a high profile and high impact disease, federal, state and territory governments have well-developed <a href="https://animalhealthaustralia.com.au/ausvetplan/">response plans</a> and have “war-gamed” FMD scenarios over many decades. </p>
<p>And more recently, other animal pest and disease incursions such as varroa mite <a href="https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/about-us/media-centre/releases/2022/ministerial/varroa-mite-incursion-detected-in-nsw">in honey bees</a> and Japanese encephalitis <a href="https://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/pests-diseases-weeds/animal/japanese-encephalitis">in pig herds</a> have helped test our response systems for an FMD incursion. </p>
<p>However, we shouldn’t underestimate the cost and challenge of confronting this disease that has arrived just this month on our doorstep. So much depends on it.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/186741/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Michael Ward receives funding from Meat & Livestock Australia, World Organisation for Animal Health.</span></em></p>Foot and mouth disease hasn’t been on our doorstep since the 1980s. Keeping it out of Australia is a new national priority.Michael Ward, Chair of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, University of SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1850202022-07-07T00:00:17Z2022-07-07T00:00:17ZLow iron is a health risk made worse by COVID. How to get more without reaching for supplements<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469940/original/file-20220621-13-ah9l7b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=43%2C68%2C5708%2C3759&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://image.shutterstock.com/image-photo/healthy-nutrition-dieting-concept-assortment-600w-1902198490.jpg">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>“Beauty is an iron mine,” once remarked the Australian mining magnate, Gina Reinhart. She was talking about a precious resource, but iron is also profoundly <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4464783/">important to living organisms</a>: from bacteria and fungi, to mammals like us. </p>
<p>Iron acts as a key to numerous metabolic functions within our bodies. But iron deficiency remains as <a href="https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/nutritionlibrary/focusing-on-anaemia_970a28fe-a055-4e63-b3ba-11be7b940b16.pdf?sfvrsn=9ab36bdb_6&download=true">one of the top global health risks</a> recognised by the World Health Organization (WHO).</p>
<p>Iron deficiency has become the most prevalent micronutrient disorder worldwide, and COVID may be worsening the problem.</p>
<h2>Iron is hard to get</h2>
<p>The type of iron we mine is different from the “free-form” iron that can be used biologically. Free-form iron has a propensity to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2842161/">jump between two chemical states</a>, allowing it to bind to various molecules, and participate in all sorts of essential reactions within our bodies. </p>
<p>But we see a different story again during food digestion. Inside our upper small intestine where iron is most effectively absorbed, free-form iron tends to bind to oxygen, other minerals and food components. This often results in rock-like, insoluble clumps (which are like the ones we mine!). These are too big to pass through or between our cells.</p>
<p>This means that even when we consume enough iron, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK448204/#:%7E:text=Heme%20iron%2C%20derived%20from%20hemoglobin,and%20is%20less%20well%20absorbed.">typically only ~15–35% of it is absorbed</a>. It also means iron availability can be <a href="https://ift.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1541-4337.12669">improved, or inhibited</a> depending on how we eat it or what we eat it with. </p>
<p>For example, heme iron from animal flesh has a <a href="https://omlc.org/spectra/hemoglobin/hemestruct/heme-struct.gif">cage-like structure</a>, which carries the iron in a soluble form that prevents it from clumping during absorption. In many Western countries, heme iron only accounts for <a href="https://academic.oup.com/metallomics/article/3/2/103/6016197?login=true#219037456">10% of the iron eaten, but two thirds</a> of the total iron absorbed.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469809/original/file-20220620-25-fib3iq.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469809/original/file-20220620-25-fib3iq.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=271&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469809/original/file-20220620-25-fib3iq.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=271&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469809/original/file-20220620-25-fib3iq.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=271&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469809/original/file-20220620-25-fib3iq.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=340&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469809/original/file-20220620-25-fib3iq.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=340&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469809/original/file-20220620-25-fib3iq.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=340&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Iron is often better absorbed when taken with foods such as citrus, alliums and meat.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Illustrator: Ren Guo</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>More of us are at risk of deficiency</h2>
<p>Getting sufficient iron sounds like simple maths: we want to <em>add</em> enough to our dietary intake to make up for the iron being <em>lost</em> from the body, such as through faeces, skin shedding, menstruation (for women) and sweat. But the two sides of the equation can change depending on who and where we are throughout our lifetime. </p>
<p>Generally, iron deficiency occurs when our body’s stores of iron are depleted from not having consumed or absorbed enough iron to meet our needs. </p>
<p>This can happen when people restrict their diets, such as for religious, social or medical reasons. Some people also have a tough time keeping up when their iron needs increase, such as <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41430-019-0400-6">pregnant women</a> and <a href="https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/106/suppl_6/1681S/4823199">growing children</a>.</p>
<p>But iron deficiency can also happen when the body has enough iron, <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bjh.12311">but can’t effectively transport it into cells</a>. This is common in those with both acute and chronic infections, heart and autoimmune conditions, and cancers. In these cases, the underlying disease needs to be treated first, rather than improving iron intake. </p>
<p>The table below summarises some common causes of iron deficiency. Sometimes multiple causes may occur simultaneously – for example, for many elite athletes (<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00421-019-04157-y">35% of women and 11% of men</a>), iron deficiency results from reduced absorption due to inflammation, on top of increased loss through sweat and breakdown of blood cells.</p>
<p><iframe id="tc-infographic-723" class="tc-infographic" height="400px" src="https://cdn.theconversation.com/infographics/723/c41e20d19ac49d195172ae0d32b32c9e7edad23b/site/index.html" width="100%" style="border: none" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<h2>COVID hasn’t helped</h2>
<p>The ongoing COVID epidemic has also introduced multiple risk factors for iron deficiency. </p>
<p>We know severe infection with SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID) may change the way some people <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8305218/">metabolise iron</a>, leading to lower iron levels up to two months after infection. This <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jmv.26774">contributes to symptoms</a> commonly reported after infection, such as fatigue and lethargy.</p>
<p>Recovery from the pandemic itself has also exacerbated <a href="https://www.oecd.org/coronavirus/policy-responses/food-supply-chains-and-covid-19-impacts-and-policy-lessons-71b57aea/">food supply issues</a>, as well as the <a href="https://blogs.worldbank.org/developmenttalk/global-income-inequality-and-covid-19-pandemic-three-charts">rising global income inequality</a>. </p>
<p>This means more people face barriers to food security – and the nutrient-dense foods that help boost our iron intake like red meat or leafy greens may be unavailable or unaffordable for them. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-we-should-take-a-women-centred-approach-to-diagnosing-and-treating-iron-deficiency-159198">Why we should take a women-centred approach to diagnosing and treating iron deficiency</a>
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<hr>
<h2>Before you pick up a pill</h2>
<p>It may be tempting to pick up one of the many widely available iron supplements to attempt to boost your intake. However, we have to keep in mind that conventional iron supplementation is <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1185/03007995.2012.761599">associated with some negative side effects</a>. </p>
<p>These include damage to our gut lining, nausea, diarrhoea and constipation. Iron supplementation has also been linked to changes in the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7400826/">gut microbiome</a>, a critical determinant of health.</p>
<p>The WHO has recommended <a href="https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/micronutrients/gff-part-1-en.pdf?sfvrsn=afc1c426_2">two other approaches</a>: diet diversification and food fortification. </p>
<p><a href="https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/anaemia/areacop-webinar---24-september-2020/areacop-webinar-nancyaburto-presentation.pdf?sfvrsn=7abd1427_4">Diet diversification</a> is exactly as it sounds: having a diet with a variety of wholefoods such as fruits and vegetables, grains and legumes, meat, dairy, and nuts and seeds. </p>
<p>This approach not only ensures sufficient levels of iron are found in the foods we eat, but also that they come with different forms or “vehicles” to improve absorption. This approach works <a href="https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/349086/WHO-EURO-2021-4007-43766-61591-eng.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y">even with plant-based foods</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="hand with reddish brown pills" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469941/original/file-20220621-25-qkpieo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469941/original/file-20220621-25-qkpieo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469941/original/file-20220621-25-qkpieo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469941/original/file-20220621-25-qkpieo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469941/original/file-20220621-25-qkpieo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469941/original/file-20220621-25-qkpieo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469941/original/file-20220621-25-qkpieo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Before resorting to pills and supplements, try diversifying or fortifying the iron in your diet.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://image.shutterstock.com/image-photo/iron-supplements-number-formulations-used-600w-1618887754.jpg">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-to-drink-with-dinner-to-get-the-most-iron-from-your-food-and-what-to-avoid-156579">What to drink with dinner to get the most iron from your food (and what to avoid)</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Food fortification, where iron is added to processed foods, is also a fairly safe yet accessible option due to its lower dose. In Australia, iron is commonly fortified in products such as bread, cereals and ready-to-drink mixes. </p>
<p>It can be challenging to get the iron into our body and where it’s needed. But before turning to supplements, we must remind ourselves that food sources should always be first-in-line. In cases of diagnosed deficiencies, your healthcare professional will provide you with further information where supplements are necessary.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/lemon-water-wont-detox-or-energise-you-but-it-may-affect-your-body-in-other-ways-180035">Lemon water won't detox or energise you. But it may affect your body in other ways</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/185020/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Yianna Zhang receives funding from the CSIRO as a part of the Postgraduate Scholarships program, and from the University of Melbourne's Melbourne Research Scholarship program. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Ken Ng, Regine Stockmann, and Said Ajlouni do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Getting enough iron is tricky – even if we eat enough, we might not absorb enough. But diversifying the menu and looking for fortified foods can help.Yianna Zhang, PhD Candidate, The University of MelbourneKen Ng, Senior Lecturer & Course Coordinator (Master of Food Science), The University of MelbourneRegine Stockmann, Principal Research Scientist, CSIROSaid Ajlouni, Associate Professor, The University of MelbourneLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1856852022-06-29T12:11:35Z2022-06-29T12:11:35ZClimate change is putting food safety at risk more often, and not just at picnics and parties – blackouts are a growing problem<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/471485/original/file-20220628-14234-gop3kl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=491%2C0%2C4682%2C3086&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Dairy, meats and eggs can get risky when left in warm conditions.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/portrait-of-smiling-boy-holding-sandwich-with-his-royalty-free-image/691049473">Westend61 via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p><em>Every year, <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/foodborneburden/2011-foodborne-estimates.html">almost 1 in 6 Americans</a> gets a foodborne illness, and about 3,000 people die from it, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates. Picnics and parties where food sits out for hours are a common source, but heat waves and power outages are another silently growing threat.</em></p>
<p><em>As global temperatures rise, the risk of foods going bad during blackouts in homes or stores or during transit in hot weather rises with them. <a href="https://nutrition.tufts.edu/profile/faculty/elena-n-naumova">Elena Naumova</a>, an epidemiologist and data scientist at Tufts University, explains the risk and what you need to know to stay safe.</em></p>
<h2>What does climate change have to do with foodborne illness?</h2>
<p>The link between foodborne illness and climate change is quite straightforward: The pathogens that cause many foodborne infections are sensitive to temperature. That’s because warm, wet weather conditions stimulate bacterial growth.</p>
<p>Three main factors govern the spread of foodborne illness: 1) the abundance, growth, range and survival of pathogens in crops, livestock and the environment; 2) the transfer of these pathogens to food; and 3) human exposure to the pathogens.</p>
<p>Safety measures like warning labels and product recalls can help slow the spread of harmful bacteria and parasites, but these measures don’t always evolve rapidly enough to keep pace with the changing risk.</p>
<p>One growing problem is that heat waves, wildfires and severe storms are increasingly triggering power outages, which in turn affect food storage and food handling practices in stores, production and distribution sites and homes. A review of federal data in 2022 found that major U.S. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-storms-science-business-health-7a0fb8c998c1d56759989dda62292379">power outages linked to severe weather had doubled</a> over the previous two decades. California often experiences <a href="https://www.bloomenergy.com/bloom-energy-outage-map/">smaller-scale outages</a> during heat waves and periods of high wildfire risk.</p>
<p>This can happen on the hottest and, in some areas, most humid days, creating ideal conditions for bacteria to grow.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/471456/original/file-20220628-14253-8980uj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/471456/original/file-20220628-14253-8980uj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471456/original/file-20220628-14253-8980uj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471456/original/file-20220628-14253-8980uj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471456/original/file-20220628-14253-8980uj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=632&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471456/original/file-20220628-14253-8980uj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=632&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471456/original/file-20220628-14253-8980uj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=632&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Salmonella bacteria, in pink, a common cause of foodborne disease, invade a human epithelial cell.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/niaid/5613656967">NIAID</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Which causes of foodborne illness are increasing with the heat?</h2>
<p>Nationwide, many types of foodborne infection <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-74435-9">peak in warm summer months</a>.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/cyclosporiasis/gen_info/faqs.html"><em>Cyclospora</em></a>, a tiny parasite that causes intestinal infections and is transmitted through food or water contaminated with feces, often on imported vegetables and fruits, peaks in early June. </p>
<p>The bacteria <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/campylobacter/faq.html"><em>Campylobacter</em></a>, a common cause of diarrhea that’s often linked to undercooked meat; <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vibrio/faq.html"><em>Vibrio</em></a>, linked to eating raw or undercooked shellfish; <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/general/index.html"><em>Salmonella</em></a>, which causes diarrhea and is linked to animal feces; and STEC, a common type of <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/general/index.html"><em>E. coli</em></a>, peak in mid-July. And the parasite <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/crypto/index.html"><em>Cyptosporidium</em></a>, germ <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/faq.html"><em>Listeria</em></a> and bacteria <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/shigella/general-information.html"><em>Shigella</em></a> peak in mid-August.</p>
<p>Many of these infections cause upset stomach, but they can also lead to severe diarrhea, dehydration, vomiting and even longer-term illnesses, such as meningitis and multiple organ failures.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A man stands in front of a dark freezer case packed with pizzas and other frozen meals." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/471487/original/file-20220628-14234-33ofq8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/471487/original/file-20220628-14234-33ofq8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=408&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471487/original/file-20220628-14234-33ofq8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=408&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471487/original/file-20220628-14234-33ofq8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=408&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471487/original/file-20220628-14234-33ofq8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=513&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471487/original/file-20220628-14234-33ofq8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=513&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471487/original/file-20220628-14234-33ofq8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=513&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">When refrigerators lose power, they can keep foods cool for only so long. This store owner in New York during the 2006 blackout said, ‘I’ll have to throw all this out.’</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/grocery-store-owener-asim-calik-surveys-a-freezer-full-of-news-photo/71510428">Chris Hondros/Getty Images</a>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In our studies, my colleagues and I have also found that <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19094947">food recalls increase</a> during summer months. </p>
<p>Typically, the U.S. sees about 70 foodborne outbreaks per month, with about two of them resulting in a food recall. In summer, the number of outbreaks can exceed 100 per month, and the number of recall-related outbreaks goes up to six per month, increasing from 3% to 6% of all reported and investigated outbreaks nationwide. </p>
<p>The rate of individual infections can also <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/S0950268806006698">easily double or triple</a> the annual average during summer months. </p>
<p><iframe id="JhwJ1" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/JhwJ1/7/" height="400px" width="100%" style="border: none" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p>Precisely estimating infection numbers is very challenging because the vast majority of foodborne illness outbreaks – an estimated <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-74435-9">80% of illnesses and 56% of hospitalizations</a> – are not attributed to known pathogens due to insufficient testing, and many foodborne illnesses are not even reported to the health authorities.</p>
<h2>What types of food should people worry about?</h2>
<p>Watch out for perishable products, including meat, poultry, fish, dairy and eggs, along with anything labeled as requiring refrigeration. How warm a food item can get before becoming risky varies, so the simplest rule for keeping food safe is to follow food labels and instructions.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/index.html%5D(https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/index.html">CDC website</a> emphasizes four basic rules to prevent food poisoning at home: clean, separate, cook and chill.</p>
<p>It also offers some guidelines for when the power goes out, starting with keeping refrigerator and freezer doors closed. “A full freezer <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/food-safety-during-a-power-outage.html">will keep food safe for 48 hours</a> (24 hours if half-full) without power if you don’t open the door. Your refrigerator will keep food safe for up to four hours without power if you don’t open the door,” it says.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/471484/original/file-20220628-14613-gop3kl.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="An infographic offers advice also discussed in the article." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/471484/original/file-20220628-14613-gop3kl.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/471484/original/file-20220628-14613-gop3kl.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=776&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471484/original/file-20220628-14613-gop3kl.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=776&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471484/original/file-20220628-14613-gop3kl.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=776&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471484/original/file-20220628-14613-gop3kl.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=976&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471484/original/file-20220628-14613-gop3kl.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=976&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471484/original/file-20220628-14613-gop3kl.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=976&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Food safety tips.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/food-safety-during-a-power-outage.html">CDC</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>After four hours without power or a cooling source, the CDC recommends that most meat, dairy, leftovers and cut fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator be thrown out.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, you cannot see, smell or taste many harmful pathogens that cause foodborne illness, so it’s better to be safe than sorry. Rule of thumb: When in doubt, throw it out.</p>
<h2>What’s the best response if a person gets sick from food?</h2>
<p>If you do get sick, it can be hard to pinpoint the culprit. Harmful bacteria can take anywhere from <a href="https://doh.wa.gov/you-and-your-family/food-safety/food-safety-myths">a few hours to several days</a> to make you sick. And people respond in different ways, so the same food might not make everyone ill.</p>
<p>Check with your doctor <a href="https://www.fda.gov/food/consumers/what-you-need-know-about-foodborne-illnesses">if you think you have food poisoning</a>. Get tested so your case will be reported. That helps public health authorities get a better sense of the extent of infections. The full extent of infections is typically vastly underreported.</p>
<p>I recommend checking health department websites, <a href="https://doh.wa.gov/you-and-your-family/food-safety/food-safety-myths">like Washington state’s</a>, for more advice, and <a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls">check on food recalls</a> during the hot months.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/185685/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Elena N. Naumova receives funding from the National Science Foundation. She is affiliated with Tufts University. </span></em></p>Climate change has a clear link to rising foodborne illnesses. Blackouts during heat waves and wildfires are a growing part of the problem.Elena N. Naumova, Professor of Epidemiology and Data Science, Tufts UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1762232022-06-28T11:57:43Z2022-06-28T11:57:43ZFeeding insects to cattle could make meat and milk production more sustainable<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/471183/original/file-20220627-26-73hjk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=25%2C0%2C5582%2C3715&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Cows eating hay and soy-based feed.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://flic.kr/p/fEhGSn">United Soybean Board/Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The world’s population is growing, and so is the challenge of feeding everyone. Current projections indicate that by 2050, global food demand could increase by <a href="https://doi.org/10.4060/cb4474en">59%-98% above current levels</a>. In particular, there will be increased demand for high-quality protein foods, such as meat and dairy products. </p>
<p>Livestock producers in the U.S. and other exporting countries are looking for ways to increase their output while also being sensitive to the environmental impacts of agricultural production. One important leverage point is finding ingredients for animal feed that can substitute for grains, freeing more farmland to grow crops for human consumption.</p>
<p>Cattle are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/tas/txy086">natural upcyclers</a>: Their specialized digestive systems allow them to convert low-quality sources of nutrients that humans cannot digest, such as grass and hay, into <a href="https://animalscience.tamu.edu/2020/02/10/beefs-greatest-talent-is-protein-upcycling/">high-quality protein foods like meat and milk</a> that meet human nutritional requirements. But when the protein content of grass and hay becomes too low, typically in winter, producers feed their animals an additional protein source – often soybean meal.
This strategy helps cattle grow, but it also drives up the cost of meat and leaves less farmland to grow crops for human consumption. </p>
<p>Growing grains also has environmental impacts: For example, large-scale soybean production is a driver of <a href="https://www.chathamhouse.org/sites/default/files/publications/research/2016-01-28-agricultural-commodities-brack-glover-wellesley.pdf">deforestation in the Amazon</a>. For all of these reasons, <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=hwgBLNAAAAAJ&hl=en">our laboratory</a> is working to identify alternative, novel protein sources for cattle. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wFz0gF9i5a0?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Insect farming is a growing industry, producing alternative protein sources for human and animal feed.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Black soldier fly larvae</h2>
<p>An <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/insect-farming">insect farming industry</a> is emerging rapidly across the globe. Producers are growing insects for animal feed because of their nutritional profile and ability to grow quickly. Data also suggests that feeding insects to livestock <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.09.244">has a smaller environmental footprint</a> than conventional feed crops such as soybean meal. </p>
<p>Among thousands of edible insect species, one that’s attracting attention is the black soldier fly (<em>Hermetia illucens</em>). In their larval form, black soldier flies <a href="https://extension.oregonstate.edu/sites/default/files/documents/10911/september-cl-2018.pdf">are 45% protein and 35% fat</a>. They can be <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/foods6100091">fed efficiently on wastes</a> from many industries, such as pre-consumer food waste. The larvae can be raised on a large scale in <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottcarpenter/2021/12/31/worlds-largest-insect-protein-farm-signals-future-of-food-supply/?sh=16a9ed114606can%20be%20raised%20easily%20on%20a%20large%20scale">factory-sized facilities</a> and are shelf-stable after they are dried.</p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/471241/original/file-20220627-22-yz8asg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A graduate student with cupped hands filled with small brown larval pods." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/471241/original/file-20220627-22-yz8asg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/471241/original/file-20220627-22-yz8asg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=709&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471241/original/file-20220627-22-yz8asg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=709&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471241/original/file-20220627-22-yz8asg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=709&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471241/original/file-20220627-22-yz8asg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=891&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471241/original/file-20220627-22-yz8asg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=891&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471241/original/file-20220627-22-yz8asg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=891&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Texas State University graduate student Kayra Tasci holds dried black soldier fly larvae.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Merritt Drewery</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Most adults in the U.S. aren’t ready to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2020.104119">put black soldier fly larvae on their plates</a> but are much more willing to consume meat from livestock that are fed black soldier fly larvae. This has sparked research into using black soldier fly larvae as livestock feed. </p>
<h2>Already approved for other livestock</h2>
<p>Extensive research has shown that black soldier fly larvae can be fed to <a href="https://doi.org/10.3920/JIFF2015.0071">chickens</a>, <a href="http://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/100283">pigs</a> and <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2012.08.041">fish</a> as a replacement for conventional protein feeds such as soybean meal and fish meal. The <a href="https://www.aafco.org/">American Association of Feed Control Officials</a>, whose members regulate the sale and distribution of animal feeds in the U.S., has <a href="https://www.aafco.org/Portals/0/SiteContent/Meetings/Annual/2021/Committee-Reports/Ingredient_Definitions_Minutes_2021_Midyear.pdf">approved the larvae as feed</a> for poultry, pigs and certain fish. </p>
<p>So far, however, there has been scant research on feeding black soldier fly larvae to cattle. This is important for several reasons. First, <a href="https://usda.library.cornell.edu/concern/publications/h702q636h?locale=en">more than 14 million cattle and calves are fed grain or feed</a> in the U.S. Second, cattle’s specialized digestive system may allow them to utilize black soldier fly larvae as feed more efficiently than other livestock. </p>
<h2>Promising results in cattle</h2>
<p>Early in 2022, our laboratory published results from the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/tas/txac018">first trial of feeding black soldier fly larvae to cattle</a>. We used cattle that had been surgically fitted with small, porthole-like devices called cannulas, which allowed us to study and analyze the animals’ rumens – the portion of their stomach that is primarily responsible for converting fiber feeds, such as grass and hay, into energy that they can use. </p>
<p>Cannulation is <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ani11071870">widely used to study digestion in cattle, sheep and goats</a>, including the amount of methane they burp, which contributes to climate change. The procedure is carried out by veterinary professionals following strict protocols to protect the animals’ well-being. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/471203/original/file-20220627-14-wk5675.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A black steer with a donut-sized ring implanted in its side." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/471203/original/file-20220627-14-wk5675.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/471203/original/file-20220627-14-wk5675.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471203/original/file-20220627-14-wk5675.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471203/original/file-20220627-14-wk5675.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471203/original/file-20220627-14-wk5675.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471203/original/file-20220627-14-wk5675.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471203/original/file-20220627-14-wk5675.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A steer fitted with a cannula that allows scientists to study digestion in its rumen.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Merritt Drewery</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In our study, the cattle consumed a base diet of hay plus a protein supplement based on either black soldier fly larvae or conventional cattle industry protein feeds. We know that feeding cows a protein supplement along with grass or hay <a href="https://doi.org/10.2527/jas.2014-7795">increases the amount of grass and hay they consume</a>, so we hoped the insect-based supplement would have the same effect. </p>
<p>That was exactly what we observed: The insect-based protein supplement increased animals’ hay intake and digestion similarly to the conventional protein supplement. This indicates that black soldier fly larvae have potential as an alternative protein supplement for cattle. </p>
<h2>Costs and byproducts</h2>
<p>We have since conducted three additional trials evaluating black soldier fly larvae in cattle, including <a href="https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDANIFA/bulletins/2cf5474">two funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture</a>. We are especially interested in feeding cattle larvae that have had their fat removed. Data suggest that the fat can be <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2010.11.016">converted to biodiesel</a>, yielding two sustainable products from black soldier flies. </p>
<p>We are also studying how consuming the larvae will affect methane-producing microbes that live in cattle’s stomachs. If our current research on this question, which is scheduled for publication in the spring of 2023, indicates that consuming black soldier fly larvae can reduce the amount of methane cows produce, we hope it will motivate regulators to approve the larvae as cattle feed. </p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/471205/original/file-20220627-12-pkfyr0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A researcher holding a gauge samples vials of fluid." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/471205/original/file-20220627-12-pkfyr0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/471205/original/file-20220627-12-pkfyr0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=618&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471205/original/file-20220627-12-pkfyr0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=618&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471205/original/file-20220627-12-pkfyr0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=618&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471205/original/file-20220627-12-pkfyr0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=776&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471205/original/file-20220627-12-pkfyr0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=776&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471205/original/file-20220627-12-pkfyr0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=776&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Texas State University student Brady Williams tests the pH of fluid from the rumens of cattle fed black soldier fly larvae.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Merritt Drewery</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Economics also matter. How much will beef and dairy cattle producers pay for insect-based feed, and can the insects be raised at that price point? To begin answering these questions, we conducted an <a href="https://doi.org/10.3920/JIFF2021.0166">economic analysis of black soldier fly larvae</a> for the U.S. cattle industry, also published early in 2022. </p>
<p>We found that the larvae would be priced slightly higher than current protein sources normally fed to cattle, including soybean meal. This higher price reflects the superior nutritional profile of black soldier fly larvae. However, it is not yet known if the insect farming industry can grow black soldier fly larvae at this price point, or if cattle producers would pay it. </p>
<p>The global market for edible insects is <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-edible-insects-market-2021-to-2027---environmental-benefits-is-driving-growth-301206304.html">growing quickly</a>, and advocates contend that using insects as ingredients can make <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/07/why-we-need-to-give-insects-the-role-they-deserve-in-our-food-systems/">human and animal food more sustainable</a>. In my view, the cattle feeding industry is an ideal market, and I hope to see further research that engages both insect and cattle producers.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/176223/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Merritt Drewery receives funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. </span></em></p>Feeding insects instead of grain to animals is an inexpensive, sustainable way to increase the world food supply. An animal scientist explains what’s involved in developing insect feed for cattle.Merritt Drewery, Assistant Professor of Animal Science, Texas State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1827932022-05-11T18:07:07Z2022-05-11T18:07:07ZClimate change: carbon labels and clever menu design can cut the impact of dining – new study<p>More people cutting back on meat would be <a href="https://theconversation.com/five-ways-the-meat-on-your-plate-is-killing-the-planet-76128">good news for the planet</a>, but humans have ingrained habits that are tricky to change. Fortunately, a growing body of research suggests that making changes to the places where we all pick what to eat – such as supermarket aisles, takeaway apps and restaurant menus – can nudge us towards the more sustainable options without us needing to really think about it. These kinds of changes may also attract <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272494422000627">more public support</a> than policies such as taxes.</p>
<p>In <a href="https://journals.plos.org/climate/article?id=10.1371/journal.pclm.0000028">a new paper</a>, psychologist Ann-Katrin Betz and her colleagues at the University of Würzburg in Germany studied the design of restaurant menus. They tested how adding carbon labels indicating the greenhouse gas emissions per dish and changing the default menu options (those featured most prominently) to foods with a lower impact on the climate affected the choices people make when eating out.</p>
<p>The online study’s 265 participants were asked to select one dish from each of nine hypothetical menus, which featured different selections of options of dishes with high, medium and low emissions. Some had a default option of either the highest- or lowest-emission dish. For instance, on one menu the participants could order a coconut curry with either beef (high emissions), chicken (medium emissions) or tofu (low emissions).</p>
<p>Participants were also randomly assigned menus with or without carbon labels which showed the emissions involved in producing one portion of each dish alongside a traffic light-coloured signal to indicate high, medium or low emissions.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A tied bundle of asparagus with a cardboard label denoting the environmental impact of producing it." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/462454/original/file-20220511-16-57hma3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/462454/original/file-20220511-16-57hma3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=334&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/462454/original/file-20220511-16-57hma3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=334&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/462454/original/file-20220511-16-57hma3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=334&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/462454/original/file-20220511-16-57hma3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=420&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/462454/original/file-20220511-16-57hma3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=420&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/462454/original/file-20220511-16-57hma3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=420&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Carbon labels could help inform people about the climate consequences of their food choices.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/sustainability-rating-label-on-organic-asparagus-2079388099">HollyHarry/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>When people were given menus with the low-emission option as the default, the share of high-emission choices decreased significantly – equating to an average of 31.7% lower emissions per dish. Similarly, when people were given menus with carbon labels, the emissions associated with their dish choices were on average 13.5% lower per dish compared to when no carbon labelling was used.</p>
<p>When the menu displayed a high-emission default option but no carbon labels, 59% of participants selected the dish with the highest emissions attached to it, while 12% chose the low-emissions option. But when they were shown a low-emission default option first, 45% of participants went for it and only 21% of participants chose the option with the greatest climate impact.</p>
<p>When carbon labels were present, the number of people choosing the default high-emission dish, marked with a red icon, fell to 36%, versus 30% who opted for the low-emission one. And 52% chose the default low-emission dish when it was accompanied by a green label.</p>
<h2>So what?</h2>
<p>The results of this study are promising, as they suggest designing restaurant menus differently may have a considerable effect on the emissions attached to dining out. In particular, combining carbon labels with prominent placing for low-emission options appears to have the greatest effect.</p>
<p>However, it’s important to note that this was an online study investigating hypothetical dish choices, and so it’s possible these measures would work differently in a real restaurant setting. After all, the survey participants did not pay for, or eat, their choices. They may have simply picked the dish they thought researchers wanted them to go for. In the carbon label portion of the experiment, it’s particularly clear what the study’s aims were.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A chef tosses kale in a wok over an open flame." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/462445/original/file-20220511-20-ko3e51.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C3070%2C2048&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/462445/original/file-20220511-20-ko3e51.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/462445/original/file-20220511-20-ko3e51.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/462445/original/file-20220511-20-ko3e51.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/462445/original/file-20220511-20-ko3e51.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/462445/original/file-20220511-20-ko3e51.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/462445/original/file-20220511-20-ko3e51.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Will diners behave the same way in a real restaurant?</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/motion-blur-chefs-pours-oil-cook-1848971635">Chatchai.wa/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>But if data from restaurants and cafeterias does show similar results, interventions like carbon labelling and low-emission default options should form part of a wider shift to making sustainable food more prevalent, prominent and ultimately popular. Other strategies might include:</p>
<p><strong>1. Increasing the availability of plant-based options</strong></p>
<p>In both cafeterias and in online surveys, we have found when people are offered a greater proportion of meat-free meals (from one in four, to two or even three in four), the number of people opting for the vegetarian choice <a href="https://theconversation.com/offering-more-plant-based-choices-on-menus-can-speed-up-diet-change-177297">can increase substantially</a>.</p>
<p><strong>2. Making plant-based options more prominent elsewhere</strong></p>
<p>With a retailer partner, we found that sales of meat alternatives increased when they were <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1003715">moved to the meat aisle</a> in stores.</p>
<p><strong>3. Re-naming veggie options to make them sound more appealing</strong></p>
<p>Other research suggests that, instead of calling something vegetarian or vegan, describing the provenance, flavour, or look and feel of food <a href="https://www.wri.org/insights/its-all-name-how-boost-sales-plant-based-menu-items">can increase sales</a>. Would you rather buy a “vegetarian lasagne” or a “slow-roasted, butternut squash and seasonal vegetable lasagne”?</p>
<h2>A smorgasbord of options</h2>
<p>Changes to restaurants and supermarkets can help everyone make more sustainable choices by helping people overcome the barriers which currently limit the uptake of low-emission food, such as limited information or time to properly consider which options are best for the climate. </p>
<p>Each of the changes suggested above could contribute, but they may make a relatively small difference if implemented in isolation, as this new study indicates. Betz and colleagues found that their effects in combination supported the greatest degree of behaviour change. </p>
<p>Multiple strategies are ultimately needed to support more people to adopt sustainable diets.</p>
<hr>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="Imagine weekly climate newsletter" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
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<p><strong><em>Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?</em></strong>
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<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Cristina Stewart receives funding from the Wellcome Trust.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Rachel Pechey receives funding from the Wellcome Trust. </span></em></p>A traffic light labelling system and making sustainable dishes the default menu option boosted their popularity.Cristina Stewart, Health Behaviours Researcher, Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of OxfordRachel Pechey, Research Fellow in Behavioural Science, University of OxfordLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1787452022-04-20T15:00:09Z2022-04-20T15:00:09ZAt the centre of controversies: Why do we love to hate and hate to love meat?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/456625/original/file-20220406-16-hijbaz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=7%2C0%2C5168%2C3453&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Meat has been a marker of class and gender divides and has sparked scientific revolutions.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100px; border: none; position: relative; z-index: 1;" allowtransparency="" allow="clipboard-read; clipboard-write" src="https://narrations.ad-auris.com/widget/the-conversation-canada/at-the-centre-of-controversies--why-do-we-love-to-hate-and-hate-to-love-meat" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
<p>When was the last time you ate meat? Today? This week? Ten years ago? Never? Have you ever had an <a href="https://www.insider.com/why-do-angry-vegans-meat-eaters-fight-so-much-2020-2">argument about meat consumption with someone</a>, whether it was over environmental impact or the ethics of eating animals? Are you confused when it comes to the conflicting information on meat’s health implications? Do you feel guilty eating meat but still continue to do so? </p>
<p>From the <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/carnivore-diet#what-it-is">controversial carnivore diet</a> to plant-based “<a href="https://thenextweb.com/news/plant-based-filet-mignon-gave-me-a-taste-of-meatless-future">meat</a>” and <a href="https://theconversation.com/topics/cell-cultured-meat-58477">lab grown meat</a>, meat is everywhere. </p>
<p>Many of us consume, or used to consume meat — except those who were raised plant-based because of family or culture. Even those of us who follow a plant-based diet might still eat plant-based meat to enjoy the that familiar, meaty taste. </p>
<p>Science journalist Marta Zaraska refers to this centrality of meat in diets as “<a href="https://www.newscientist.com/article/2075985-meathooked-how-eating-meat-became-a-global-obsession/">meathooked</a>.” </p>
<p>Afterall, meat is one of the oldest items of consumption, with records of early humans butchering animals around <a href="https://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/evidence-for-meat-eating-by-early-humans-103874273">2.6 million years ago</a>. And ever since, it has become part of family rituals, spiritual celebrations and social gatherings. Meat ties us together but not without objections and contradictions. </p>
<p>How did meat become so contested? Why do we hate to love it and love to hate it?</p>
<p>As marketing researchers, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/10253866.2022.2037574">we recently</a> delved deeper into the root of these contradictions and found that meat has been at the centre of controversies around morality, ecology, gender, class and health since the 14th century in the Global North.</p>
<h2>Meat: At the centre of the gender divide</h2>
<p>Despite the <a href="https://theconversation.com/meat-is-masculine-how-food-advertising-perpetuates-harmful-gender-stereotypes-119004">stereotype</a> of <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.3389%2Ffpsyg.2018.00559">meat being the domain of men</a>, a recent discovery of a female body found with hunting tools <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/in-the-early-americas-female-hunters-pursued-big-game-study-suggests/">at a 9,000-year-old burial site </a> suggests society might be wrong about its assumptions about who hunts for food. </p>
<p>Yet, meat is <a href="https://nationalpost.com/life/food/why-are-we-programmed-to-think-meat-is-for-men">culturally shaped as a gendered product</a>, and this is a division seen both in its production and consumption. </p>
<p>Gender stereotypes about hunting and butchering are prevalent to the extent that they shape professional aspirations for women, creating a lack of representation with only a <a href="https://thecounter.org/yes-i-am-a-female-butcher/">few women choosing meat-centric</a> professions. Men are also subject to gendered expectations about <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/2378023119831801">eating meat to uphold masculinity</a>. </p>
<p>Think about meat-focused shows like <a href="https://thesocietypages.org/cyborgology/2011/11/24/gender-culture-and-cooking-on-the-internet/"><em>Epic Meal Time</em></a> and how they perpetuate a hyper-masculine gender performance. This portrayal helps illuminate why plant-based diets are seen as less manly, and why <a href="https://theconversation.com/meat-and-masculinity-why-some-men-just-cant-stomach-plant-based-food-174785">some men resist plant-based food</a>.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/URl4oYD__-w?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">YouTube account Epic Meal Time builds a ‘20 pound meat lovers sushi roll’</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Meat reflects who has power and money</h2>
<p>The consumption of meat, both in quantity and quality, has marked the symbolic divisions across social classes since Medieval times. As author Maguelonne Toussaint-Samat describes in her book <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/9781444305135"><em>History of Food</em></a>, nobles and the elite consumed better cuts of meat, rarer meat that we no longer consider food <a href="https://theoutline.com/post/8164/why-dont-we-eat-swans">(like swans)</a>, and specific parts of the animal (like the eyes) — until the 16th century, they were considered gastronomical delicacies.</p>
<p>On the other hand the working class consumed lower quality meat with less variety and frequency. However <a href="https://stacker.com/stories/4402/history-americas-meat-processing-industry">slaughterhouses and factory farming</a> helped meat become more accessible to the masses. The quantity of meat consumed was no longer a reflection of social class, but rather its quality. </p>
<p>More recently, factory farming has <a href="https://thehumaneleague.org/article/what-is-factory-farming">sparked discussions around the ethics and sustainability</a> of meat production as well as its ecological impact. </p>
<p>Mass meat production destroys <a href="https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/22287498/meat-wildlife-biodiversity-species-plantbased">natural habitats and biodiversity</a>, it is exploitative and <a href="https://caroljadams.com/spom-the-book">objectifying</a> to both animals and <a href="https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/alberta-meat-plant-workers-vulnerable-to-dangerous-conditions-new-research">workers</a> and affects the <a href="https://theconversation.com/rural-americans-struggles-against-factory-farm-pollution-find-traction-in-court-98226">quality of rural life</a>. </p>
<p>A future that includes less meat is a sentiment shared by animal activists, <a href="https://montrealgazette.com/life/new-canadas-food-guide-not-about-portion-but-about-proportion">governments</a> and even the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-02409-7">United Nations</a> as part of their strategy towards a more meatless society. But many might think this is not a realistic goal, because, after all, we are meathooked.</p>
<h2>Rethinking a world without meat</h2>
<p>Meat has been a marker of class and gender divides and has sparked scientific revolutions, but <a href="https://www.theworldcounts.com/challenges/consumption/foods-and-beverages/world-consumption-of-meat/story">data shows</a> people aren’t letting meat go. </p>
<p>While ideal meatless meat is expected to look, taste and feel like meat, scientists aren’t sure if it can replace meat and <a href="https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2019/2/22/18235189/lab-grown-meat-cultured-environment-climate-change">solve our problems</a>. And the deeply entrenched cultural contradictions and conflicts associated with meat will continue to shape our controversial relations with it, the symbols it represents and the moral discussions around it. </p>
<p>For these reasons, meat — and its substitutes — will continue to be loved and hated. We can imagine a meatless future, but we might not be able to escape the cultural baggage brought by meat’s past.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/178745/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Meat has been a marker of class and gender divides, sparked scientific revolutions and has been at the centre of wars.Zeynep Arsel, Concordia University Chair in Consumption, Markets, and Society, Concordia UniversityAya Aboelenien, Assistant Professor of Marketing, HEC MontréalLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.