Food 4 Thought 8/29/23

Dear Reader,

Welcome to the second issue of the Food 4 Thought newsletter. Keep reading to learn about new updates about cultivated plant-based meat, the devastating effects of monocrop farming in Hawaii, and an important call to action for agricultural reform. Thank you for your support!

-Isabel

1. A ravaged ecosystem may have led to the conditions that caused the Maui wildfires

The tragic Maui wildfires that occurred early August have resulted in at least 115 deaths and over 1,000 missing people. Civil Eats reports that the massive shift from indigenous cropping systems to mass monocrop farming methods likely gave rise to the conditions that triggered the wildfires.

In an interview, Noa Lincoln, an assistant professor of Indigenous crops and cropping systems at the University of Hawaii, Manoa, highlights how it was possible to grow sugarcane, one of Hawaii’s main crops, without irrigation in the wetter areas of the island. However, shortly after Hawaii was colonized by Europeans, a large sugar plantation called Alexander & Baldwin was established in 1870 as well as a pineapple plantation called Maui Land & Pineapple Company which began operations in 1909. Both companies eventually developed a massive irrigation ditch that diverted water from many of the local streams to irrigate areas too arid to support sugarcane and pineapple cultivation.

This move disrupted a once thriving local ecosystem. Lahaina, the largest census-designated place in West Maui, once had wetland and lowland flats. However, building the expansive plantations required trees to be burned, which significantly reduced the region’s moisture, setting the stage for the wildfires. Adopting regenerative agricultural practices would be an ideal start to restore Hawaii, however, this would be challenging to attain because the land, water, and labor costs are exorbitant on the archipelago, which has deterred most farmers from changing their practices.

2. Scottish plant-based protein company Enough raises a $43.5M funding round

Enough, a Scottish company specializing in mycoprotein, has raised a $43.5M funding round led by World Fund and CPT Capital. While Enough is not the first company using mushrooms to produce protein, it touts its technology, which it purports as more scalable than its competitors.

Founded in 2015 in Glasgow, Enough claims to deliver delicious, nutritious, and sustainable protein whose production requires significantly fewer carbon dioxide emissions. The company plans to use its latest funds to double the output of its Netherlands-based production site that began operating in Sept. 2022.

According to its website, mycoprotein is produced through continuous fermentation of fungi, which grows into a complete food product that the company trademarks ABUNDA mycoprotein. Enough says ABUNDA is highly versatile with a meaty texture and provides protein, fiber, and other essential nutrients.

3. Italy to possibly ban lab-grown meat

Italy is getting closer to banning lab-grown meat. On July 19, The Senate of the Italian Republic approved a bill that would prohibit the production and import of laboratory produced meat and other synthetic food products.

The ban is backed by Italian PM Giorgia Meloni and the country’s Agriculture Minister Francesco, who argue that cultivated meat could pose risks to human health and the environment while violating Italy’s renowned food culture and tradition. The country’s farmers’ lobby also supports the proposed legislation.

The ban has faced criticism from environmental organizations, including Legambiente, an Italian environmental association advocating science-backed environmental campaigns and proposals. The group asserts that it is an attempt to evade talking about ‘serious responsibilities of intensive farming.’ Other critics say the ban is a form of propaganda against plant-based foods and alternative food sources.

The bill must still pass through the Chamber of Deputies. Other countries, including the U.S., Singapore and Israel already have a cultivated meat market. Moreover, the EU announced an investment to develop more plant-based foods last year.

Investors call on G20 finance ministers to reform agricultural subsidies

A group of 32 investors from the FAIRR Initiative has sent a statement calling on G20 finance ministers to uphold their commitment to reform agricultural subsidies in order to remain on track with their net-zero greenhouse gas commitments by 2050. The investors highlight the economic harm posed by biodiversity loss, emphasizing that nearly $44T (over 50% of the global GDP) of economic value generation depends on ecosystem services.

The document also cites UN data, which states that governments provide $500B annually of agricultural support that is “price distorting and environmentally and socially harmful.” Subsidies described as “harmful” are those resulting in the over-production and over-consumption of certain carbon-rich agricultural products. Harmful subsidies reportedly cost $4T-$6T per year due to damage to natural ecosystems.