26 March 2024 Alternative proteins are here - the next 30 years could be crucial for NZ's meat and dairy sectors

In an article published on The Conversation Lincoln University Senior Lecturer in Political Ecology Christopher Rosin and University of Otago Professor of Sociology, Gender Studies and Criminology Hugh Campbell state that the history of farming is seeded with technological “big bang” moments that have changed the trajectory of whole industries and countries.

Some – such as mechanisation, and the arrival of synthetic fertiliser and pesticides, have transformed agricultural economic and technical systems. Others have involved substitute commodities – artificial flavourings, chemical dyes or synthetic fibres to replace wool – which have threatened the existence of whole farming sectors, including in New Zealand.

The next big disruption is arguably alternative proteins. They promise to introduce a brave new world of environmentally and animal-friendly proteins, produced by microbes in industrial vats or cell division in laboratories.

Proponents argue alternative proteins offer a solution to many of the world’s environmental and social problems.

Read the full article on The Conversation here.