The Grocer: Can FSA shake-up make the UK a leader on lab-grown meat?
By Ivy Farm
on Wed Apr 10 2024
March 2024
“Richard Dillon, CEO of Ivy Farm, one of two companies with cultured meat applications going through the existing UK approval system also supports the new approach. “The talented FSA team put safety first and we fully agree – outdated EU bureaucracy can be ditched. Singapore, the US, and Israel have already approved cultivated meat for sale and are carving a niche. The UK can follow suit with the FSA’s new approach. And an Oxford Economics report predicts a £2.1 billion economic boost and over 16,500 jobs if the UK becomes a frontrunner.
“The UK relies heavily on meat imports (over £7 billion annually), often from countries with lower animal welfare standards and higher carbon footprints. Cultivated meat can break this dependence and offer a sustainable, locally produced alternative. [Whereas] lagging behind in regulation could turn the UK into an importer of cultivated meat – a missed opportunity. The FSA’s plan has the potential to propel the UK to the forefront of producing safe, delicious, and sustainable cultivated meat for domestic and international markets.”