I am curious how much of what you consider harmful about factory farming is already illegal under at least the spirit of a law somewhere on the books in various countries around the world.
Could a change from enforcing laws for only local animal products to imported animal products as well help address the legality of the suffering associated with factory farming? For example, EU laws cover its member states, but how do international trade relations play a role in enforcement of anti-cruelty laws for imported meat?
My belief is that farming of animals will continue, and decisions about how animals are treated on farms will have more to do with how laws are enforced than how laws are written. Farmed animal products might reach a smaller segment of animal product consumers that want “the real thing” even after effective substitutes are available.
There are likely to be differences between synthetic and actual meats, because animal chemistry is complicated. For example, milk from real animals could contain some amount of biochemical contaminants that alter flavor profile or bodily response to the milk, while manufactured milk would lack those. I’m thinking of blood and its constituents, hormones, and a larger profile of proteins that break down differently (for example, into caseomorphins of various types). I think some people will notice the difference somehow. This or just the appeal of something traditional will create a market for animal products with consumers that are willing to pay premium prices.
I am curious how much of what you consider harmful about factory farming is already illegal under at least the spirit of a law somewhere on the books in various countries around the world.
Could a change from enforcing laws for only local animal products to imported animal products as well help address the legality of the suffering associated with factory farming? For example, EU laws cover its member states, but how do international trade relations play a role in enforcement of anti-cruelty laws for imported meat?
My belief is that farming of animals will continue, and decisions about how animals are treated on farms will have more to do with how laws are enforced than how laws are written. Farmed animal products might reach a smaller segment of animal product consumers that want “the real thing” even after effective substitutes are available.
There are likely to be differences between synthetic and actual meats, because animal chemistry is complicated. For example, milk from real animals could contain some amount of biochemical contaminants that alter flavor profile or bodily response to the milk, while manufactured milk would lack those. I’m thinking of blood and its constituents, hormones, and a larger profile of proteins that break down differently (for example, into caseomorphins of various types). I think some people will notice the difference somehow. This or just the appeal of something traditional will create a market for animal products with consumers that are willing to pay premium prices.