Abstract
The radical criticism of animal husbandry currently taking place in the name of protecting animals and the planet is largely focused on meat. What are the reasons for this polarisation? What is meat? It is crucial to respond to these questions at a time when the reduction of the symbolic distance between humankind and ‘other animals’ is challenging representations of flesh, and when ‘cultured meat’ is taking root in people’s minds before it takes its place on supermarket shelves.
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Notes
H. Steinfeld et al., 2006. Livestock’s long shadow. Environmental issues and options, Rome, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations http://www.fao.org/3/a-a0701e.pdf
To borrow and inverse the idea of Vialles 1998
In 1944, in Great Britain, the Vegetarian Society splits with some of its members wanting to encourage the rejection of consuming any animal-based product. They created the Vegan Society that promotes veganism. It should be noted that the definitions of ‘veganism’ or ‘vegans’ include ’as far as possible’ and ‘whenever possible’, which show that the vegan position is, in fact, asymptote. Veganism is above all an intention rather than being the rigorous following of a permanent diet and way of life with no animal sources. This allows people to describe themselves as vegan and to eat crustaceans, for example.
Millions on an international level, and billions of posts and tweets on social media.
There are many expressions (usually derogatory) in English where the word ‘meat’ is used: dead meat, meathead, easy meat, meat market, put some meat on your bones, etc.
Only six local breeds of pig remain in France: Gascon, Kintoa (Basque), Nustrale (Corsica), Cul noir du Limousin, Bayeux, Blanc de l’Ouest, i.e. around 3000 breeders, mainly Gascon, Kintoa and Nustrale.
For comparison, industrial pigs are weaned at 3 weeks, or even earlier, and slaughtered at 5.5 months. A local breed of peasant-reared pig is weaned at 2.5 months (age of spontaneous weaning by the sow) and slaughtered at 18 or 24 months. An industrial breed of sow produced 17 piglets per year 1970, and 31 today. A local breed of sow produces between 12 and 15 piglets per year depending on the breed and system of rearing.
Until recently, the nutrient medium was calf serum.
Mosa Meat, How it’s made, https://www.mosameat.com/technology, accessed September 2020
It should be noted that animal ‘defenders’ who promote ‘cultured meat’ do not plan on consuming it themselves, although it would be welcomed to feed their cats. As PETA explains, it is about changing the behaviours of ordinary omnivores: ‘But because many people refuse to kick their meat addiction, PETA wants to help them switch to flesh that does not cause suffering and death’. https://www.peta.org/features/vitro-meat-contest/
In France, the bill ‘relating to the transparency of information about food products’ was definitively adopted on 27th May 2020 at the National Assembly. This text bans the use of animal denominations (steak, filet, sausage) being applied to plant-based products.
Thus, in 2017, the French association L214 received over a million euros from the American foundation Open Philanthropy Project to promote criticism of the poultry sector in France.
We might consider that the recent launch in France by Xavier Niel and two other millionaires of a petition in favour of a Popular Initiative Referendum ‘for animals’ is part of this strategy (Porcher 2020).
Although the company Aleph Farms claim to be doing so.
Cf. The film ‘Soylent Green’, 1973, directed by Richard Fleischer, 93 mn, Warner Bros.
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Porcher, J. Meat—the enemy within. Rev Agric Food Environ Stud 101, 509–516 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41130-020-00128-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41130-020-00128-6