We've seen the pros and cons of genetically modified crops, both for the economy and the environment. Now, how would you feel about genetically modified pork? That's something scientists are working to make right now. Currently they're trying to find a way to create edible pork from pig stem cells. Though they still have a long way to go, they continue to strive towards laboratory-created meat--and for good reason. A recent news article reported that the artificial meat "could one day offer a green alternative to raising livestock, help alleviate world hunger, and save some pigs their bacon."
Why is it such a big deal? Pork that comes from pig stem cells would reduce the need for pig farms, which can be environmentally hazardous (thanks to manure run-off from the closely-packed pigs). It could also supply a cheaper way to get pork, meaning more people with lower incomes could readily access it.
However, a jump to synthesized pork might hurt as much as it helps. If the "green" pork is cheaper, more people will buy it versus pork that actually comes from pigs. That would hurt pig farmers; they might have to cut back on the number of animals that they raise. That in turn would hurt the businesses that supplied the food for the pigs, and so on. Therefore, any effect that laboratory-grown pork would have on pig farmers might have a ripple effect on the suppliers that depend upon the pig farmers' business. Also, if pork were to become cheap and readily available, it could easily become a substitute for other types of meat, lowering demand for things like beef or chicken.
This is a really interesting topic that I have never heard of until I read this post.
ReplyDeleteSomething strikes me as odd if not ethically wrong about creating meat in a laboratory. If we don't like to drink pop with HFCS or buy dairy products from cows with diets full of growth hormones, I feel like the American public will never widely accept a traditional product that is being re-created in a lab.
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Genetically modified foods are always very controversial issues. I agree that the effects of this modified pork will be disastrous on suppliers. I partially agree with Bridgett but i believe that overtime as this food is circulated in the market probably the next two decades or so, that people will gradually become more accepting. When the first proposal of having genetically modified corn was made, people had the same reaction: a definitely no no. But as this product circulated more in the market and they became cheaper and more available than the organically produced corn, people eventually started purchasing them. Today they form a grand part of the meals of millions of people. Even in the cafeteria, we have little or no choice, we do get genetically modified corn. Maybe the modified pork will have the same or similar turnaround.
ReplyDeleteI also doubt that the American public would eat artificially grown pork, at least initially. However, I don't think that there would be anything ethically wrong with growing pig meat artificially. In fact, if anything, I believe that creating pork from stem cells may be ethically superior to slaughtering live pigs for it. By growing pork directly from pig stem cells, after all, countless pigs would be spared the awful experience of slaughter. Moreover, were this artificially grown pork cheaper than traditional pork, impoverished people around the world would benefit from the lowered prices, as these prices would leave them free to devote more of their income elsewhere (increased consumer surplus). This surplus, in turn, would allow them to buy more of what they need and want, leaving them with a general improvement in living standards.
ReplyDeletepersonally I think that this is totally the wrong way to solve the issues of the meat industry. if the problem is that the pigs are being raised in horrible conditions then we should improve those conditions. growing meat in a petri-dish will make a nation dependent upon expensive industrial systems, when if we just reworked those in place and went back to a more sustainable hog industry all would pan out well
ReplyDeleteThis topic is really interesting and it also made me related what we learned in the class about the supply and demand curve. more people will buy it versus pork that actually comes from pigs. Depending on the price of the green pork it might also affect the demand of chicken and beef too. It will be become a good substitute meat in some way, especially it's green and sale at a good price.
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Addressing Hannah's comment, as much as I hate to say it, I don't feel that going back to more traditional pig farming would be the best choice. The fact of the matter is that there are far more people in the U.S now than there were when traditional farming methods were predominant, and shifting to less efficient, more traditional farming methods would make pork unaffordable for low-income members of society. And as more farms would, responding to higher prices for pork, switch from raising other animals and livestock, prices would eventually rise for other crops and meats as well. Moreover, traditional farms are not necessarily more sustainable. With commercial farms, where pigs and other livestock are kept primarily indoors, the methane emitted by the animals and their manure can be captured (methane is an even more potent greenhouse gas than C02) and used as a source of fuel. This is often not an option for traditional farms which tend to house their livestock outdoors.
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