By Charles Coddington
Aurora
In the November 19 issue of The Voice, Jon Hochschartner pushed the idea of cultured meat created in a laboratory in order to remove animals, and the zoonotic diseases, such as COVID-19, they carry, from the equation of food sourcing (thevoice.us/federal-funds-would-help-cultured-meats). He called for Federal funding for more research into this new technique.
If Mr. Hochschartner is so concerned about animals-for-food, I have another option he should consider, an option I have been advocating since 1980. This option is plant-based food and consists of fresh, organic fruits and vegetables, preferably eaten raw, and whole-grain bread and cereals. No animal products, including eggs, milk, cheese, or honey, are essential to this diet. No animal has to be sacrificed in order to satisfy an unnatural craving for its flesh and secretions.
This diet is infinitely more healthy than animals-for-food and definitely more healthy than the “Frankenmeat” Mr. Hochschartner advocates. Not one single dime of taxpayers’ money would have to be spent “researching” it. Nature’s bounty, which is ours for the taking, can be found at a grocery store, a farmer’s market, a community-sourced agricultural outlet, a home-delivery service, or, a backyard garden.