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Plant, cell-based protein efforts leave more to be desired
The head of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association says consumer demand confirms a desire for real meat.
NCBA CEO Colin Woodall tells Brownfield plant-based protein sales for some companies seem to be falling flat.
“The stock price of Beyond Meat is absolutely cratered, losing almost 70 percent in the last year,” he says.
When it comes to cell-based protein, Woodall says there’s a lack of transparency and sustainability metrics.
“There’s just a lot of questions out there that they can’t answer and they’re trying to tackle this on our back and make us look bad when it comes to the environment,” he says. “But we are only two percent of the U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.”
He says the push for wealthy nations to consume or even mandating synthetic meat by Bill Gates is deceiving as Gates is investing in such products. Woodall adds that recent studies show that the environmental impact of cultured meat is much greater than the movement alludes to.
Brownfield interviewed Woodall during the Michigan Cattlemen’s Association Annual Meeting and Michigan Beef Expo.
