Culture Clash: Cultured Meat and UK Farming – Impacts on Farmers and Food Systems

Royal Agricultural University led a two-year study to understand how farmers perceive cultured meat and to model the potential impacts on UK farm businesses if cultured meat becomes part of our diets. The research, carried out with farms across the country and supported by CARMA, uncovers threats to traditional farming, alongside opportunities for collaboration and new value chains. Eight case-study farms were used to develop business plans showing how farm-scale adaptation might work and to produce a heat map of likely winners and losers in a future where cultured meat is available in restaurants and shops. The project also explored how agricultural by-products could contribute to cultured meat media and whether on-farm production could be economically viable. The RAU continues involvement through CARMA discussions and public-facing engagement to shape the direction of cellular agriculture research.

Overview

The Royal Agricultural University (RAU) led a two-year inquiry into farmer attitudes toward cultured meat, a form of meat produced from animal cells that aims to replicate traditional meat in taste and texture. The study, titled Culture Clash, examined how adoption of cultured meat could affect farm businesses in the UK and whether farmer-led collaboration might help or hinder the transition. A central aim was to fill a gap in research by placing farming at the heart of the debate around cellular agriculture, alongside its ethics, health, climate and economic considerations.

Study Design

Researchers conducted focus groups with 75 farmers representing diverse sectors across the UK and examined farming media, public narratives, and online farming communities. The output includes a set of case-study farms that produced tailored business plans outlining how each farm might adapt to a future where cultured meat is present on menus and shelves. These plans fed into a heat map highlighting likely winners and losers under imagined supply chains that include restaurants and retailers offering cultured meat.

Key Findings

The study identified recurring themes around threats to food security and farming viability, but also highlighted opportunities for collaboration, diversification, and new revenue streams. The researchers looked at whether by-products from conventional farming—such as oilseed rape meal—could serve as media inputs or nutritional components for cultured meat production, and whether on-farm production could be economically feasible. Narratives from farming media and social platforms were analyzed to capture a broad range of farmer sentiment and to understand how information flows influence perceptions of cultured meat.

Winners and Losers

Using eight representative farms, the project mapped potential beneficiaries and those who might lose under a cultured-meat-enabled food system. The heat map showed how different farm types could benefit from new partnerships, supply-chain changes, or shifts in consumer demand, while others faced greater disruption to established practices and markets.

Next Steps and Engagement

The RAU’s involvement continues through CARMA, the seven-year EPSRC-funded Cellular Agriculture Manufacturing Hub. The team is leading the “engaging public and policy” strand to gather wide-ranging opinions on the technology and steer research priorities. The project team, including RAU and partner institutions, invites further input from farmers, industry players, charities, and policymakers to shape the future of cultured meat in the UK.

Quotes

"The groups discussed their understanding and perceptions, with recurring themes about threats and opportunities." - Tom MacMillan, Project Lead, Royal Agricultural University

"We held focus groups with 75 farmers representing a wide range of sectors across the UK." - Katherine Lewis, Communications Lead, RAU

"Heat maps show potential winners and losers in a future where cultured meat is available in restaurants and shops." - Katherine Lewis, Communications Lead

"Engaging the public and policy is essential to CARMA's direction and progress." - Illtud Dunsford, CEO, Cellular Agriculture Ltd