This article was originally published by Olivia Cook at Natural News. 

American troops might be used as guinea pigs for a lab-grown meat initiative funded by the Department of Defense (DoD), ostensibly to cut down on carbon dioxide emissions at military bases.

The Washington Free Beacon reported that BioMADE, a public-private partnership that has received more than $500 million from the DoD, is responsible for the endeavor. BioMADE announced on its website on June 3 that it is looking for new ideas to reduce the CO2 emissions from food production and transport at military sites. These ideas include “novel cell culture methods suitable for the production of cultivated meat or protein” – essentially a euphemism for lab-grown fake meat.

Lab-grown meat is a new technology where animal muscle and fat tissues are grown from modified animal cells in special equipment. This process uses a mix of chemicals, pressure, and temperature to create meat that resembles beef, chicken, and pork. Though still in the experimental stage, lab-grown meat has sparked a debate about its efficiency and ethics of producing meat without killing animals. (Related: Lab-made chicken meat grown from CANCER CELLS receives FDA approval – Are you ready to eat TUMOR nuggets?)

But according to a 2023 study by researchers at the University of California-Davis, the carbon footprint of lab-grown beef might be worse than that of the product it seeks to replace. It zoomed in on the use of highly refined or purified growth media, which is used to help animal cells multiply. They wrote that lab-grown meat using purified media in its production has a global warming potential four to 25 times greater than the average compared to the real thing.

Troops deserve BETTER FOOD: Critics speak out against plan to feed soldiers with lab-grown meat

Critics argue that using U.S. troops to test lab-grown meat, which is still experimental and not widely available in stores, is inappropriate. Although the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved two California companies to sell cultured chicken to restaurants in 2023, some believe taxpayer money shouldn’t fund the lab-grown meat industry.

Jack Hubbard, executive director for the Center for the Environment and Welfare (CEW), was among the vocal critics of the plan. “Taxpayer dollars should not be used to fund the lab-grown meat sector,” he remarked.

“Our troops deserve better than to be served lab-grown meat, produced in bioreactors with immortalized cells and chemicals. Unfortunately, this effort is being driven by an agenda that is political and anti-farmer. Our soldiers should never be used as guinea pigs.”

Even Ethan Lane, vice president for government affairs at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, has criticized the DoD research grant that bankrolled BioMADE.

“It is outrageous that the DoD is spending millions of taxpayer dollars to feed our heroes like lab rats,” he said in a statement. “This misguided research project is a giant slap in the face to everyone that has served our country. Our veterans and active-duty troops deserve so much better than this.”

“U.S. cattle producers raise the highest-quality beef in the world, with the lowest carbon footprint – and American troops deserve to be served that same wholesome, natural meat and not ultra-processed, lab-grown protein that is cooked up in a chemical-filled bioreactor.”

Watch this video about BioMADE’s lab-grown meat for U.S. soldiers.

EDITOR’S NOTE: It’s interesting that the more politically conservative faction in the U.S. is concerned about the soldiers being used as “guinea pigs,” but they are completely OK with them being used as cannon fodder to further the advancement of the political empire. Perhaps it’s past time to start being morally consistent so we can actually be free.