Because meat production is so resource intensive, livestock farming actually accounts for 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
And the future of world meat production tastes a lot like chicken - but that's a story for another day.
BBC: Smaller, fewer, thinner - the future for American beef?
Foods inspectors in Poland have stopped meat production at a plant following claims that it was adding rotten meat to its products.
The research on artificial meat has been prompted by concerns that current methods of meat production are unsustainable in the long term.
Copa-Cogeca singled out meat production by Mercosur, saying it tolerated growth hormones banned in the EU, poor labour conditions and genetically modified products.
And, most are unaware of how industrialized meat production has become.
The head of Tesco has pledged to bring meat production "closer to home" and work more closely with British farmers in response to the horsemeat scandal.
As for meat production, he said they do buy some products, particularly frozen ones, out of Europe, but as "we can we'll bring it closer to home".
"Malaysia is self-sufficient in chicken meat production, " the industry executive said, adding that some local broilers use imported chicken meat cuts from China because it is cheaper than domestic equivalents.
West Dunbartonshire said food safety officers were carrying out inspections on four meat production plants in the area but that meals supplied to school canteens and council care homes were not affected.
According to Zhores Medvedev, a Russian scientist, these mini-farms and private plots account for half Russian meat production and a third of dairy products, though they occupy less than 5% of all farmland.
Meanwhile, inspectors have stopped meat production at a plant in Poland run by a firm that exports to the UK. Viola denies claims that it was adding rotten meat to its products at the plant in the northern village of Lniano.
As well as animal welfare concerns over rearing large numbers of farm animals in close proximity, the water use, farmland for animal feed, waste and greenhouse-gas emissions associated with meat production make it one of the most significant environmental problems in the world today.
Last week, Congresswoman Louise Slaughter of New York released the results from a survey of over 60 fast food, retail, production and grocery companies asking them about their policies on the use of antibiotics in meat and poultry production.
Some 29.9 million pounds of antibiotics were sold in 2011 for meat and poultry production, compared with the 7.7 million sold for human use, according to the Pew Charitable Trusts, and that number has been on the rise.
When Croatia joins the EU in 2013 (assuming Croats approve accession in a referendum on January 22nd), Bosnia will no longer be able to export much of its dairy, meat and egg production to its neighbour, because its leaders cannot agree on whether responsibility for food safety lies with the state or the entities.
The UK Food Group suggests that the production of meat causes an annual "calorie loss" around the world equivalent to the need of 3.5 billion people.
BBC: MPs urge UK to eat less meat to help global food supplies
Rangeland Foods, near Castleblayney, suspended production after horse meat was found on the premises.
Also on Monday, the French government lifted a suspension tied to the production of minced meat, sausages and ready-made meals at Spanghero.
However, a suspect in Wuxi assured China Central Television that while foxes and mink had been used in the production of fake meat, no rats had been used.
Hormel Foods is engaged in the production of a variety of meat and food products and the marketing of those products throughout the United States and internationally.
Production has come to an end at the Hall's of Broxburn meat factory in West Lothian.
应用推荐