"In Vitro" Chicken....Yummy!

Posted on Friday, April 25, 2008 at 9:05 AM

If you haven't heard the news, PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) is offering a $1 million reward to the first scientist to create and bring to market "in vitro" meat.  What is "in vitro" meat, you ask?  It is meat grown in a laboratory from animal stem cells.  The contest stipulates that the product marketed must look and taste like chicken, and be safe for human consumption.

The motivation for PETA is that, despite their big push in recent years to convert the world to vegetarianism, they have seen little progress.  (Supposedly the ad series of scantily-clad actresses promoting vegetarianism didn't work)  Frustrated by their failure in getting Americans to kick the "meat addiction", they have come up with this idea.  If meat can be grown in a lab, with no need for the animals to suffer, then it could be a viable solution.  They seek to put an end to several practices, such as (according to their website):

• Chickens drugged to grow so large they often become crippled (That is false.  Chickens are given no drugs, other than anti-biotics.  They become crippled because of their fast growth rate, but this is due to selective breeding, not genetic manipulation or drugs)
• Mother pigs are confined to metal cages so small they can't move (Likewise, untrue.  Yes, they are put in very small cages, but they can move.  Usually they choose not to because they're so large and lazy.)
• Fish are hacked apart while still conscious (This is true.)

Don't get me wrong, I don't promote making animals suffer.  I think it's cruel and you should not prolong pain or death beyond what you can control.  I recognize there are unfortunate aspects of mass production of meat.  That's part of the reason we grow our own meat right here.  But I also think animals are for food, and have no problem eating them.  I'm not going to give up meat, so I'll at least improve the lives of my animals while they're alive.  My cows get good grazing and don't have massive amounts of grain fed to them.  My pigs have a 2500 sq ft pen to play in, lots of yummy scraps, and affectionate attention from us.  My chickens are free-range and can scratch and hunt for bugs all day to their hearts content.  But in the end, they're food, and they're being grown for a reason.  We do it as naturally as possible because it's good for them, which is in turn good for us.

I'm just curious how receptive the American public is going to be to laboratory-grown meat.  The majority could care less about the suffering of chickens and could only be convinced to eat it if it was A LOT better for you than real chicken, or cheaper.  That's the problem.  It's liable to be no better for you, and more expensive. 

Sorry PETA.  I think you've got a flop here.