The Societal Role of Meat- What the Science Says
The production and consumption of meats from livestock is of foundational importance in all societies
Meat and livestock contribute to personal health and well-being, maintain ecological balances and secure socioeconomic livelihoods. The International Summit on The Societal Role of Meat – What the SCIENCE Says, highlighted and summarised all the different ways in which meat is relevant in modern society. The Summit took place in Dublin, Ireland on October 19th & 20th 2022, and was hosted by Teagasc, the Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority.
Meat production and meat consumption are frequent subjects of societal debate, and for good reason. As a pivotal source of nourishment, and playing a large role in ecological and economic systems, meat production must continuously evolve with the best technologies available in order to maximize its benefits and minimize undesirable impacts. Given the importance and scale of meat production, the respective agricultural, industrial, governmental and educational actors need to continuously strive to earn their societal license to operate.
It is critical to clearly understand what the objective scientific evidence is saying. The Summit brought together a group of globally leading scientists from across relevant disciplines to present and achieve a comprehensive synopsis of the scientific insights on the role of meat in society. These presentations are available below.