East Central Reporter

Illinois, once known as the "Slaughterhouse of the World," is now poised to become a leader in the emerging industry of lab-grown meat. The state, which was home to the famous Union Stockyards in Chicago, where more meat was processed than anywhere else in the world, is now attracting companies like UPSIDE Foods, the first cultivated meat company to receive FDA approval.

UPSIDE Foods has selected the Chicago suburb of Glenview for a $141 million facility investment. The former Allstate campus on I-294 has been transformed into a state-of-the-art facility that will house one of the largest cultivated meat production facilities in the world. Operations are set to begin in 2025, creating at least 75 new jobs ranging from warehousing and logistics to food production.

The company specializes in growing meat, poultry, and seafood directly from animal cells, a process known as cellular agriculture. UPSIDE Foods will initially focus on producing ground cultivated chicken products, with plans to expand to other species and whole-textured formats in the future. The company's lab-grown meat is touted as a more humane and sustainable alternative to traditional meat production methods.

However, there are challenges that need to be addressed in the lab-grown meat industry. One of the main concerns is the high cost of production, with estimates suggesting lab-grown meat could cost around $40 per pound, compared to under $5 per pound for traditional meat. Scaling up production to a viable level also requires significant investment from the biopharma industry. Additionally, there are biological limitations that need to be overcome to make production economically feasible.

Despite these challenges, lab-grown meat offers several advantages over traditional meat production. It uses less land, water, and antibiotics, making it more environmentally friendly. However, there are also environmental costs associated with the production of lab-grown meat, such as the energy-intensive process of extracting growth factors from animal serums and growing crops for nutrients. A study conducted by researchers at two California universities found that cultured meat production could emit between four to 25 times more carbon dioxide per kilogram than regular beef.

Illinois has a strong agricultural industry, with over 72,000 farms and farmland covering 75 percent of the state's total land area. The state is a leading producer of soybeans, corn, and swine, and ranks fifth in the nation in agricultural exports. Agriculture is deeply rooted in Illinois's heritage, with family farms passed down from generation to generation.

Not everyone is convinced that lab-grown meat is the way forward. Representative Chris Miller, who owns and operates a family farm in Illinois, voiced his skepticism, stating, "Real meat is raised on a farm and not in a laboratory. It's more efficient, much more easily mass-produced, cheaper, healthier, and tastes better. Illinois farmers know what they are doing, and they do it well."

As Illinois continues to embrace the opportunities presented by the lab-grown meat industry, the state's rich agricultural tradition and expertise in farming will undoubtedly play a significant role in shaping the future of this emerging sector.

For additional details, please follow this link: https://repcmiller.com/2024/01/10/illinois-once-the-slaughterhouse-of-the-world-to-be-a-leader-in-fake-meat/