Latest news from Big Barn and our producers.
The news of stem cell grown meat is hitting the news and shocking to many people. I think it is brilliant news as it raises awareness to meat production and the whole, sorry, food industry.
If food trends continue, the question all meat eaters will eventually have to ask themselves is this; should I eat laboratory meat, or factory farmed meat where the animals have been genetically modified and tortured all their lives?
The food industry has already moved down the road to more factory farming with increasing genetic modification (click to see previous blog) to satisfy the increased demand for meat. This means keeping animals in appalling conditions and feeding them millions of tonnes of grain that could be fed to humans. (it take 8kg of grain to make 1kg of beef).
In the long term if we want to eat meat, care about animals and feed the world, laboratory meat sounds like a great solution.
This trend also means the growing control of the big corporates with an even smaller return to the farmer. (Currently, on average, for every £1 spent on food in the supermarket the farmer only get 9p!)
The only way to avoid this disaster is to change the food industry. We need to change to buying local food direct from the producer, to help build a more sustainable, local, food industry controlled by local people and cutting out big business and rip off retailers.
As always we welcome your comments…..