In recent years, the world has witnessed an exciting and historical advancement in food technology: cultivated meat, also known as lab-grown or cultured meat, which involves growing meat from animal cells rather than by traditional animal farming methods, thus eliminating the need to raise and slaughter animals for food.
On June 21, the USDA gave Upside Foods and Good Meat the green light to start producing and selling their cultivated chicken products in the United States, forever changing how we think about meat.
Cultivated meat has emerged as a revolutionary breakthrough with the enormous potential to transform multiple and critical facets of our daily lives. One area where it holds exceptional promise is education. Cultivated meat represents a unique opportunity to revolutionize the way we teach and learn, encouraging a deeper understanding of sustainable practices, scientific innovation, and ethical considerations that we can no longer ignore.
However, despite the myriad of innumerable benefits of this new technology, the general public remains largely unaware of it, something that our organization, the Educated Choices Program, is working tirelessly to change rapidly.
Our organization was among the first to recognize the need to educate the public about this paradigm-shifting technology several years ago. As pioneers in this area of education, we added a presentation about cultivated meat to our library of resources in 2019. We later launched What Is Cultivated Meat? in 2021, an interdisciplinary knowledge base that explores the science of cellular agriculture and cultivated meat. This educational tool contains the answers to the questions most frequently searched by teachers, students, and the public.
We have reached millions of students and faculty in 31 countries so far, educating them about food choices, new food technologies, and their impact on human and planetary health, witnessing their empowerment and willingness to make better choices for the betterment of all.
Education plays a vital role in shaping the minds of present and future generations. Introducing students to this groundbreaking technology, enhances and deepens their understanding of the extensive and devastating problems associated with current meat production and how they can be solved.
In addition, students can gain firsthand knowledge of the science behind cultivated meat, such as tissue engineering and biotechnology, inspiring their interest in scientific fields, sparking curiosity and innovation, and becoming advocates and leaders for change. In essence, cultivated meat serves as a catalyst for interdisciplinary learning, nurturing generations of informed individuals who can actively participate in creating a much-needed, more sustainable, and compassionate food system.
As we embrace the opportunities presented by cultivated meat, it is crucial to prioritize research, dissemination of factual information, foster public awareness, and encourage collaboration between educators, policymakers, and scientists. By doing so, we can leverage the power of education to accelerate the awareness and understanding of cultivated meat, creating a more just and sustainable planet for all.
And as leaders in education, we are also lifelong learners. We are eager and committed to staying up-to-date with the latest research, pedagogical approaches, and technological advancements to provide the best possible educational experience in the area of cultivated meat.
We are grateful for the support given by students, colleagues, scientists, and the community at large, recognizing that it is a privilege to be entrusted with such a crucial task, and we are filled with anticipation and excitement for what the future holds as we continue educating for a better world.
Lorena Mucke
CEO & Founder
Educated Choices Program