![Plant-based meat manufacturers are positioning themselves as a solution to a global protein shortage, rather than competition for traditional livestock production Plant-based meat manufacturers are positioning themselves as a solution to a global protein shortage, rather than competition for traditional livestock production](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/38U3JBx5nNussShT8aZyYjc/83742ee2-9d55-4f53-a2f9-58a29565afbb.jpg/r0_1107_4016_4317_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The push by the alternative meat sector to be seen as part of the solution to the global protein shortage puts it at odds with animal advocacy groups, agriculture food and law experts say.
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In fact, animal advocacy groups were now at risk of "providing legitimacy and support for a sector that is not only increasingly positioning the expansion of intensive animal agriculture as desirable but is also the subject of significant investment by large meat processing firms," just-released university analysis suggests.
Researchers from Queensland University of Technology's School of Law and Melbourne Law School have systematically analysed the senate inquiry into meat definitions chaired by Susan McDonald and came up with some fascinating insights.
The key recommendation from the inquiry was for new mandatory regulation to forbid the use of words like beef and chicken on products which contain no animal products. Both the Coalition and Labor went to the last election with a promise to act on that but the Albanese Government is yet to advance the regulation.
The overall conclusion of the academic analysis, led by Dr Hope Johnson and her research team Professor Christine Parker and Dr Brodie Evans, was that by positioning labelling laws as the problem, the inquiry was a missed opportunity to address deeper ideological conflicts over the future of the food system.
![Dr Hope Johnson, a socio-legal researcher in food and agricultural law, regulation and governance at QUT. Dr Hope Johnson, a socio-legal researcher in food and agricultural law, regulation and governance at QUT.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/38U3JBx5nNussShT8aZyYjc/fc76dea9-4da3-4fff-a694-64634986f956.jpg/r0_401_7853_4834_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The extensive paper identified many smaller trends that emerged during the inquiry - one being "an obvious division between the alternative protein sector and animal activists when it comes to goals and visions for the future of human-animal relationships."
"Throughout the inquiry, animal activists constructed alternative proteins as something that could significantly reduce demand for meat and lead to a decline in intensive animal agriculture," the researchers wrote.
However, alternative protein sector representatives instead emphasised a world protein shortage and as such, pushed the argument of non-competition with livestock production.
The researchers said the concept of a world protein shortage was taken up as truth in the inquiry's final report, which effectively "allowed regulators to uncritically accept that intensive animal agriculture would, and should, expand alongside the new alternative protein sector."
The academics said unless alternative proteins actually replaced future demand for meat and dairy, its 'promissory narratives' around welfare and sustainability could not be realised.
The researchers suggested animal advocacy groups could change tack by pushing for policy like herd limits or meat taxes and procurement policies that reduce meat and increase consumption of whole fruits and vegetables, rather than promoting ultra-processed foods.
The paper, titled "Don't mince words: analysis of problematisations in Australian alternative protein regulatory debates" highlighted many more subtle outcomes from the inquiry.
Dr Johnson said from here, she and her colleagues would continue to study the approval of cultivated meat products in Australia.
"Australia is shaping up to be the third country in the world, behind Singapore and the US, to approve cultivated meat," she said.
"Some other countries may well go another way. For example, Italy recently took a different direction by introducing a ban on cultivated meat."
She said regulators in Australia were currently calling for public submissions on a proposal to approve a cultivated meat product - a lab-grown quail product from the start-up Australian company Vow.
"Once submissions are closed, they will consider - among other things - how to label these new food products," Dr Johnson said.
"We expect to see more concerns from stakeholders about the potential for cultivated meat products to replace conventionally-produced meat and dairy.
"But perhaps unlike the previous political debates on plant-based meat, this will not be resolved by conclusions that the products are not in competition."