US military backs off lab meat proposal after industry condemnation

AMERICA’S cattle industry says the country’s Department of Defence has walked back a proposal to invest in the development of lab grown meat – after producers and the industry’s peak body condemned the proposal. Earlier this year, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association led opposition to a Defence call for applications to share in funding for alternative protein projects saying it was outrageous that the country’s war heroes could be fed like “lab rats”. In a press release, the NCBA said the DoD was no longer pursuing lab grown protein projects for human consumption, with president and Wyoming rancher Mark Eisele saying the country’s troops deserved better. “NCBA was the first and only cattle group to uncover this stream of DoD funding that could go toward lab-grown protein projects, and we were the first and only group to fight back,” he said. “After weeks of engaging with Congress and speaking out against this plan, we are thrilled to have DoD confirmation that lab-grown ...