Some scientists are asking this question, while others ask whether we should eat meat at all. In 2017, Pace University faculty began a conversation with scientists on this topic. In partnership with Dartmouth College, we brought together scientists, activists, and farmers to ask questions about the livestock and dairy production systems at the Cows, Land, and Labor Conference at Dartmouth in April of 2019. What we found is that not only do the answers to those questions remain uncertain and controversial, but also that the responses profoundly affect farming as a way of life.

Another group of scientists say the answer is to restructure the meat production system—to have animals on intensive managed pasture. Not only would intensive pasture management sequester carbon through animal-grass systems that contribute to rich soil, it would also allow animals to be raised more humanely. However, how many animals can we raise on intensive pasture systems as opposed to Confined Animal Farm Operations (CAFOs)? Can regenerative livestock systems produce the protein necessary in a world of rapid population growth and rising incomes, while minimizing livestock’s impact on climate?

The health claims about meat and its alternatives are also increasingly controversial. Some nutritionists have questioned the figures on the health effects of cholesterol and fat, while other nutritionists have presented new findings on the benefits of plant-based diets. The new meat alternatives, such as Beyond Meat and Impossible Burger, are equally controversial. Proponents arg­ue that this new type of vegetable-based ‘meat’ will reduce our climate impact, be more humane, and be healthier to eat. At the same time, proponents of these alternative meats have been marketing their brands by highlighting criticisms of the livestock-based meat system. Critics are scrutinizing the environmental and health claims of the plant-based ‘meats’ and argue that the plant-based critique of the livestock system is a way to fund start-ups and gain the confidence of venture capitalists. These critics are increasingly questioning the health and environmental claims made by plant-based ‘meat’ marketing.

What is the protein-production system of the future? Can regenerative agriculture provide the protein necessary to feed the world in the coming decades? Or should we work to get more food out of less land, leaving the rest uncultivated? Should we move to a more plant-based diet and eat more plant-based and/or cellular ‘in-vitro’ meat? This conference brought together scientists, farmers, ethicists, and activists to discuss the question of meat-eating in our dietary future.