What If We All Went Vegan?

What would happen if U.S. farmers stopped producing animals for food, and Americans went vegan? Science Daily reports how Mary Beth Hall, an ARS animal scientist at the U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center in Madison, Wis., and Robin R. White, a professor of animal and poultry science at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., found that shifting land usage from food animal production to food crop production would increase the total U.S. food supply by 23%.

However, before you get too excited, it is important to note that much of that land is unsuitable for high-value crops, so most of the additional food produced would include high-calorie crops such as corn and soybeans. 

The report goes on to say how a complete shift away from food animal production would present major challenges to meeting America's nutritional needs. With no meat, milk, eggs, fish or cheese in our diets, the U.S. population would not receive enough of several different essential dietary nutrients from the foods they eat, according to the study. 

Eliminating food animals would increase deficiencies in calcium, vitamins A and B12, and some important fatty acids—all important nutrients. 

So, back to what we have been touting for a couple years now. The time is right for cellular agriculture and indoor farming. It’s not just about changing the way people eat; it's about how we grow what they eat.

Related:2018 Food Trend #9: Politics & Food