New York Times: PETA's Latest Tactic: $1 Million for Fake Meat

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http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/21/us/21meat.html?_r=1 & oref=slogin

 

April 21, 2008

 

PETA's Latest Tactic: $1 Million for Fake Meat

By JOHN SCHWARTZ

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals wants to pay a million

dollars for fake meat - even if it has caused a " near civil war "

within the organization.

The organization said it would announce plans on Monday for a $1

million prize to the " first person to come up with a method to

produce commercially viable quantities of in vitro meat at

competitive prices by 2012. "

The idea of getting the next Chicken McNugget out of a test tube is

not new. For several years, scientists have worked to develop

technologies to grow tissue cultures that could be consumed like meat

without the expense of land or feed and the disease potential of real

meat. An international symposium on the topic was held this month in

Norway. The tissue, once grown, could be shaped and given texture

with the kinds of additives and structural agents that are now used

to give products like soy burgers a more meaty texture.

New Harvest, a nonprofit organization formed to promote the field,

says on its Web site, " Because meat substitutes are produced under

controlled conditions impossible to maintain in traditional animal

farms, they can be safer, more nutritious, less polluting and more

humane than conventional meat. "

Jason Matheny, a doctoral student at Johns Hopkins University who

formed New Harvest, said the idea of a prize for researchers was

promising. Citing the example of the Ansari X Prize, a competition

that produced the first privately financed human spacecraft, Mr.

Matheny said, " they inspire more dollars spent on a research problem

than the prize represents. "

A founder of PETA, Ingrid Newkirk, said she had been hoping to get

the organization involved in advancing in vitro meat technology for

at least a decade.

But, Ms. Newkirk said, the decision to sponsor a prize caused " a near

civil war in our office, " since so many PETA members are repulsed by

the thought of eating animal tissue, even if no animals are killed.

Lisa Lange, a vice president of the organization, said she was part

of the heated exchange. " My main concern is, as the largest animal

rights organization in the world, it's our job to introduce the

philosophy and hammer it home that animals are not ours to eat. " Ms.

Lange added, " I remember saying I would be much more comfortable

promoting eating roadkill. "

Ms. Newkirk said the disagreement was natural, adding, " We will have

members leave us over this. "

" People say animal rights people can't agree, " she said. " Well, human

beings can't agree. In any social cause community, there are people

who strive for purity. "

Her goal, she said, was more pragmatic. " We don't mind taking

uncomfortable positions if it means that fewer animals suffer. " In

that way, she said, " in vitro meat is a godsend. "

For some already working in the field, the news was greeted with a

wary welcome.

Henk P. Haagsman, a professor at Utrecht University in the

Netherlands and an in vitro meat research pioneer, said he welcomed

the prize competition.

" It will hopefully spark more interest to invest in the technology, "

Professor Haagsman said.

But he said he would not like to see the field dominated by the

animal welfare issue, since environmental and public health issues

are such important " drivers for this research. " The Netherlands has

put $5 million into in vitro meat studies.

Another scientist at Utrecht, Bernard Roelen, said via e-mail that he

was " rather surprised " by news of the competition, but said that even

with strong financing, it would be extremely difficult to produce

commercially viable quantities of in vitro meat before 2012.

Professor Roelen added, " For me as a researcher, the announcement

does not mean so much. "

Why not? " I do research because I want to understand fundamental

mechanisms, " he said, " not to gain fortune. "

 

 

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