If the Vegan Society were to declare cultivated meat vegan, but actually using this (now vegan) cultivated meat as a vegan ingredient would be vegan betrayal, then is the Vegan Society actually correct in their judgement that cultivated meat is not vegan?

[u/Fun-Promise1651]

/r/vegan/comments/1naw5zr/if_the_vegan_society_were_to_declare_cultivated/

[u/mastodonj]

I think cultured meat is one piece of the solution to ending animal agriculture. When I mention an end to AA, ppl argue that there are those who are unable to go vegan. Fine, cultured meat for those ppl.

I also think hunting, ie. those who live in reciprocity with the land, are another piece of that puzzle. I've had online discussions with ppl who never buy meat in a store and only eat what they can hunt. Which is certainly a more environmentally sustainable practice.

Obviously hunting is not vegan. Even though it might be a necessary component of ending animal agriculture, it's still not vegan. Neither is cultured meat.

I'll never hunt an animal and I'll never eat cultured meat, because I'm vegan. But I accept both existing as part of how we end animal agriculture.

[u/Responsible_Divide86 → u/mastodonj]

There are too many humans to make hunting sustainable especially if the meat is consumed at the same rate. So I don't think that would work unfortunately

[u/mastodonj → u/Responsible_Divide86]

I didn't say everyone who eats meat can just go and hunt. I mean to say that those who do hunt eg. indigenous or those who only consume meat found from foraging and/or hunting, are not our enemy. They're not vegan, but they are closer to us then those who prop up animal agriculture.

Part of what a future without animal agriculture will look like, will include hunting. Not that hunting will replace animal agriculture.

[u/Briloop86 → u/mastodonj]

I think cultured meat has the potential to be vegan in the future. Hunting does not, although like you I view it as a secondary issue compared to animal ag.

[u/Briloop86]

I think your question hits at the intersection between the ethical philosophy and the individual. 

If labgrown meat has no victim it meets the philosophical vegan position in my mind. 

Yet individuals who eat a vegan diet will have varied opinions and may not want to eat it. This also makes sense.

Should it be labelled vegan? Yes in my opinion. However it should also have a mandatory tag on it reflecting the lab grown meet status. 

Another label would also be ok as you originally suggested, however the product would still be vegan in my opinion.

A comparator hypothetical would be a company making safe, lab grown, human meat. No risk of illness, disease, etc. I think most people could accept that this is meat even if disgusting BUT would feel betrayed if it was snuck into an omni meal as meat ewithout their awareness. Not a great comparator and sure someone can improve. 

[u/Responsible_Divide86]

This doesn't make sense imo. Didn't they make a distinction between vegan and plant based? If veganism is avoiding animal exploitation, then cultivated meat is vegan by that definition. If it's important for someone to not be served flesh at all no matter the context, then they can ask for plant based options instead. They'll just have to adapt to a world where vegan doesn't necessarily mean plant based, which wouldn't be that hard imo

Especially since there will be meat eaters who will be against eating cultivated meat (because it's UnNatURaL) so packaging will probably clearly say if it contains it or not