Working with farmers to identify the threats and opportunities of cultured meat technology
Ensuring farmers' voices, concerns and expertise are considered in research
Overview
Running from June 2023 to January 2024, the Cultured Meat and Farmers project aimed to identify the potential impacts of cultured meat technology on rural communities, farms and other agricultural businesses.
Working with those potentially affected ensures farmers' voices and concerns are considered in research, while acknowledging their knowledge and farming expertise. The findings may help shape recommendations for farmers, policy makers and investors, while increasing the likelihood that farmers see the benefits of cultured meat production if this is introduced in the UK (TUKFS 2023).
Cultured meat, also described as cultivated or lab-grown meat, is engineered animal tissue, intended for people to eat as an alternative source of protein.
People involved
The project team included experts in cultured meat technology (Cellular Agriculture Ltd), interdisciplinary researchers from engineering, animal health, social and environmental science, with farming associations, food companies and a network of industry and non-governmental organisations also advising the project. Working with:
- ~80 farmers from a variety of farm types and locations around the UK in seven focus groups to assess attitudes to cultured meat.
- Nine farms providing illustrative cases for different farm sectors (including large scale pig/poultry; conventional beef and lamb; pasture-fed/organic livestock; rare breed/pedigree livestock; dairy; fruit & vegetable; arable).
Key project activities
Seven focus groups
Explored farmer attitudes to cultured meat, as well as discussing the potential threats and opportunities for different farm types.
Explored farmer attitudes to cultured meat, as well as discussing the potential threats and opportunities for different farm types.
Recruitment of case farms
Farms were selected to provide illustrative cases for different sector types.
Farms were selected to provide illustrative cases for different sector types.
Farm site visits
Researchers also 'teamed up' with nine case farms in a process of co-design. The team included the farmer and their immediate team/family, the project manager, a social science researcher, an industry actor who suggested the case farm and an expert in cultured meat technology. The team worked to map farm resources, building infrastructure, road access, water and energy use, and business capacity. Following this, an in-depth interview with the farming team assessed the initial findings and explored the farm team's appetite for change, risk, and a future with or without cultured meat, co-producing business plans for each farm setting out how they might adapt.
Researchers also 'teamed up' with nine case farms in a process of co-design. The team included the farmer and their immediate team/family, the project manager, a social science researcher, an industry actor who suggested the case farm and an expert in cultured meat technology. The team worked to map farm resources, building infrastructure, road access, water and energy use, and business capacity. Following this, an in-depth interview with the farming team assessed the initial findings and explored the farm team's appetite for change, risk, and a future with or without cultured meat, co-producing business plans for each farm setting out how they might adapt.
Life cycle assessment and identification of opportunities for each farm
Data gathered through conversations and site visits informed a life cycle assessment (LCA), providing predictions of the potential environmental and economic consequences of maintaining current practice compared with alternative business pathways.
Data gathered through conversations and site visits informed a life cycle assessment (LCA), providing predictions of the potential environmental and economic consequences of maintaining current practice compared with alternative business pathways.
Final dissemination workshops
Researchers facilitated interactive workshops with the partner farmers from several of the case farms to share findings, provide opportunities for peer discussion, and meet with policymakers and potential investors in cultured meat technology.
Researchers facilitated interactive workshops with the partner farmers from several of the case farms to share findings, provide opportunities for peer discussion, and meet with policymakers and potential investors in cultured meat technology.
Co-production principles
Power
Within focus group discussions, the researcher felt it was advantageous that they themselves were not an expert in cultured meat, so participating farmers could feel more relaxed about sharing concerns or scepticism about the cultured meat technology and products. Facilitation skills were also thought to be helpful to ensure:
"... people get something out of it and being aware of tensions, or overpowering people, or quiet people." (Researcher, Cultured Meat)
Knowledge
Discussions with farmers in the focus groups identified issues not previously considered by the research team, including the potential impact of cultured meat technologies on dairy farmers. Other partners identified potential opportunities from abattoir waste products. This informed research plans regarding the selection of case farms to include in site visits.
"We're trying to understand what the risks and opportunities might be. And there are quite remarkable opportunities right now which I was unaware of, so we’re definitely going on a learning curve together." (Researcher, Cultured Meat)
The involvement of farmers from different sectors (including regenerative agriculture) contributed new learning regarding the implications of a shift towards cultured meat:
"The people involved from the cultured meat sector didn't quite realise the implications of taking livestock out when it came to a regenerative agroecological mindset, and the circulation and holistic use of waste in that picture was something again highlighted." (Project Collaborator, Cultured Meat)
Relationships
Existing relationships and trusted networks were recognised as highly valuable for recruitment of focus group participants and case farms. Previous researcher experience of working in farming was considered important for building trust, as was clear communication about the benefits of participation.
Each of the nine case farms were resourced to cover farmers' time and costs. Researchers also fed back findings, including potential business insights that could help farmers adapt or innovate in response to cultured meat or other issues, and provided opportunities to meet with investors.
The research team noted that some of the farmers involved in the project were keen to engage further with cultured meat businesses. To support this, the research team will work with CARMA (the UK Cellular Agriculture Manufacturing Hub) to create a platform to connect farmers with cultured meat businesses and researchers.
Inclusivity
The research team noted the importance of tailoring communication and data collection methods according to individual farmer preferences (e.g., using WhatsApp, phone calls and conversations rather than computer-based or academic documents to share or request information) and avoiding use of unfamiliar language.
Insights from project collaborators
Farmers involved highlighted the value of learning about the cultured meat industry and the importance of their involvement in such research:
"There's such a diversity within our industry… we're segregated and very different and that's because of our location or what we do. We don't have that uniform voice. So, it is much more important that when we as individuals are given that opportunity, we have to learn, listen and have our say." (Project Collaborator, Cultured Meat)
Find out more about this project
Related references
Cultured Meat (2024), Culture Clash? What cultured meat could mean for UK farming. https://www.rau.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2024-09/Culture_Clash_Report_v15_Accessible.pdf
Groundswell Conference (2024), Cultured Meat — Gamechanger? Disruption? Or Just Hot Air? Groundswell conference, Accessed 11 August 2025. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YW_Iz5QcHzY
Manning, L., Dooley, J. J., Dunsford, I., Goodman, M.K., Macmillan, T. C., Morgans, L. C., Rose, D. C., and Sexton, A. E. (2023), 'Threat or opportunity? An analysis of perceptions of cultured meat in the UK farming sector', Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 7. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2023.1277511
Oxford Real Farming Conference (2024), Cultured Meat – gamechanger? Disruption? Or just hot air? Accessed 22 May 2025. https://orfc.org.uk/session/cultured-meat-gamechanger-disruption-or-just-hot-air/
Royal Agricultural University (2023), 'Cultured meat and your farm business webinar', Accessed 26 September 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=3yAw7q-7coQ
TUKFS (2023), 'Is cultured meat a threat or opportunity for UK farmers?', Transforming UK Food Systems Strategic Priorities Fund. https://ukfoodsystems.ukri.org/research-projects-training-reports/cultured-meat/
TUKFS Connect Series (2025), Culture Clash? What cultured meat could mean for farmers and sustainable diets. Accessed: 11 August 2025. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VPZS_TxmSg&list=PLiewmEd0-UPBqlwQBY0Js4EQ31iav1eZL&index=4
