I applaud the writers of recent Letters to the Editor in the Courier for their concern for animal welfare and for the future of our food supply. However, synthetic GMO-derived meats are not the answer.
Instead, they are:
Typically, harmful to animals.
Extremely likely to harm, and not nourish, humans.
Opposed to the secure and commonly held future of our food supply.
Energy intensive and not cost-effective.
Extremely prone to contamination and food-borne diseases.
Not regulated, as they should be, as pharmaceutical products.
Patented in order to place food, as much as possible, under corporate control.
Created by processes that bypass natural selection evolutionary pathways.
Investment and capital intensive for those who wish to monopolize our food supply.
Not sustainable, not regenerative, not environmentally sound.
Opposed to local farms, jobs and economies.
Lacking in long-term consumption studies for both animals and humans.
Utilize fetal cells (typically bovine) or cancer cells as well as pathogenic bacteria (e coli) in their production.
What is the real answer? Cruel and unsanitary factory farms? No.
The answer is simple: Buy local meat from farmers whose healthy husbandry practices you know — or buy certified organic meat from a trusted brand supplier. These products are from domesticated animals raised sustainably and with care. They are also healthier for those who eat them and for the environment in which they are raised. Healthier food, healthier people, healthier planet.
David Richard, health publisher and author
Advisory Board Member, Price-Pottenger (NFP)
Milford