AUTHOR=Blaustein-Rejto Dan , Merener Nicolas , Smith Alex 

TITLE=The potential footprint of alternative meat adoption on corn and soybean producers

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems

VOLUME=Volume 8 - 2024

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sustainable-food-systems/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2024.1400515

DOI=10.3389/fsufs.2024.1400515

ISSN=2571-581X

ABSTRACT=Alternative meat (AltMeat), which includes plant-based and cultured meats, has the potential to improve the global food supply chain on numerous environmental and societal dimensions. Some of these gains, derived from lower animal meat consumption, could disrupt the supply chain of crops that are used as animal feed. In this paper we evaluate the potential impact of animal meat displacement, globally or in developed regions, on major corn and soybean producing regions. We combine trading patterns and regional cost structures with potential crop demand reductions caused by animal meat displacement, to occur by 2032 on top of an OECD-FAO baseline projection without AltMeat. We find that potential animal meat displacement in the US and the European Union would have a minor effect on crop markets. Worldwide displacement, however, would lead to significantly lower corn and soybean prices relative to the baseline OECD-FAO projection without AltMeat. We explore quantitatively the heterogeneous impact of such development on crop producing regions. Our findings shed light on a trade-off associated to the significant benefits of more sustainable meat production.