WYATT MYSKOW: Months in jail and thousands of dollars in fines and legal fees—those are the consequences Alabamians and Arizonans could soon face for selling cell-cultured meat products that could cut into the profits of ranchers, farmers and meatpackers in each state. State legislators from Florida to Arizona are seeking to ban meat grown from animal cells in labs, citing a “war on our ranching” and a need to protect the agriculture industry from efforts to reduce the consumption of animal protein, thereby reducing the high volume of climate-warming methane emissions the sector emits...…

SUMEET SINGH LAMBA: Veganism, as a dietary style, emphasises the consumption of primarily plant-based meals while avoiding all animal products. Veganism has witnessed a dramatic and sharp surge in popularity in recent years. Food is an essential element of everyone's daily existence. It is therefore important to study what people consume and their attitudes about specific foods from the standpoint of health and fitness. One way to obtain these types of information about the food is through social media analysis...   Research is being conducted to measure the reasons why there is an increase…

VEGCONOMIST: A new report by the European Environment Agency (EEA) has underlined the importance of a shift towards plant-based foods to address climate change. The European Climate Risk Assessment report notes that the Farm to Fork Strategy and international dietary guidelines call for reduced animal product consumption and a shift towards plant-based diets. The authors find that this would reduce freshwater consumption and dependency on imported animal feed, while achieving healthier dietary patterns. Reducing animal product consumption would also free up a substantial quantity of cereal…

ROLAND MAYRHOFER: Although vegan and vegetarian diets and lifestyles differ significantly from each other, among other things, notably in their respective consequences regarding animal welfare and their ecological impact, vegans and vegetarians are often grouped together and usually compared to omnivores in psychological research. Considering that vegans and vegetarians often share similar motives for their lifestyle choices, namely animal and environmental issues, the question arises why similar motives lead to different conclusions and correspondingly different behaviors, most notably, of…

BBC: Could going vegan help feed the world and save the planet? While industry and energy production are often singled out as the main drivers of climate change, the global meat production industry is a bigger polluter. Veganism advocate Gary Francione and nutritionist Dr Ron Weiss join Nuala McGovern to discuss the pros and cons of veganism. While it might make sense from an ethical and climate change perspective, it is a massive cultural leap for many. We ask whether veganism could really be useful in places where food might not be readily available. And answer concerns over whether a…

MEAGHAN CAMERON: The connection between relative high meat consumption and certain types of cancer has been well established. The World Health Organization classifies processed meat — like bacon, sausage, and other cured meats — alongside smoking and asbestos as a “Group 1” carcinogen (but notes that processed meat consumption should be limited, unlike smoking and asbestos exposure, which both should be avoided completely). Most organizations concerned with cancer prevention agree that people should limit processed meat, as it is linked with cancers of the colon, stomach, and other sites of…

COREY WATERS: The potential of an individual to participate in a particular movement increases if identifications of that individual are recognized as congruent with the collective identifications of that movement. For example, it has been shown through interviews with vegans that there is congruence with those who had identified as “animal people,” meaning advocates for nonhuman animals, prior to becoming vegan. Because these people wanted to be authentic “animal people,” and because they recognized being vegan as congruent with being authentic “animal people,” they became vegan... This…

3BEE: Food for Profit is the first documentary to show the thread that binds the meat industry, the lobbies and political power. At the centre are the billions of euros - exactly 397 - that Europe allocates to intensive livestock farms, which mistreat animals, pollute the environment and pose a danger to future pandemics. Food for Profit is the result of a investigation conducted over five years by journalist Giulia Innocenzi, who wrote and directed the docufilm together with Pablo D'Ambrosi. Food For Profit premiered on Thursday 22 February at the European Parliament in Brussels... The…

ANASTASIA SLOAN: Even in cities that accommodate allergens and veganism, an extra $0.50 to $1 is almost always tacked on to coffee for nondairy milk. ​This additional fee, according to a recent class action lawsuit against Dunkin’, is discriminatory. The lawsuit — filed in late December in Northern California’s federal district court on behalf of all U.S. consumers who have paid more at Dunkin’ for nondairy milk alternatives within the last four years — seeks no less than $5 million for class members. The named ​plaintiffs “all suffer from lactose intolerance and milk allergies,” making it…

JOY SAHA: Kraft Mac & Cheese remains a favorite comfort food amongst budget-conscious consumers today. The packaged food item may not be the healthiest meal option available, but it does offer something that’s simple to make and delicious. Then, in November, news of the brand’s first-ever plant-based product made headlines. Called “Kraft NotMac&Cheese,” the new mac and cheese alternative is currently available in two flavors — original and white cheddar with shells — each priced at $3.49 per box. It’s also made in partnership with TheNotCompany, Inc., a food-tech company producing…