RespectFarms - The World's First Cultivated Meat Farm

From Conversation to Reality: A Milestone Week for the Future of Farming

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 06:10:00 -0700

Two days. Two milestones. One important conversation about the future of farming.

In June, RespectFarms brought together farmers, researchers, innovators, policymakers, entrepreneurs and partners for two landmark moments.

On 04 June, the first-ever Cell Farmers Symposium filled the Provinciehuis Zuid-Holland in The Hague with people from across the farming and cellular agriculture ecosystems.

The following day, on 05 June, we officially opened the world's first cultivated meat farm in Schipluiden.

Together, these two events represented an important step in the RespectFarms journey: moving the conversation about cultivated meat beyond technology alone and bringing it closer to the people, places and farming systems that could help shape its future.

What started with a simple question, can cultivated meat become something for farmers? is now becoming a real place for exploration, discussion and collaboration.

A full house for the first Cell Farmers Symposium

Farmers, governments and policymakers, researchers, scientists, technology companies, industry representatives, NGOs, media and entrepreneurs all came together to explore a shared question: what could the role of farmers be in the development of cellular agriculture?

Throughout the afternoon, speakers and participants shared perspectives on farming, technology, regulation, business development, policy...Read More

Open Farm Day at the World's First Cultivated Meat Farm

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 06:54:40 -0700

Curious about the future of farming?

On Saturday 12 September, RespectFarms will open the doors of the world's first cultivated meat farm for a special Open Farm Day.

Following the wonderful inauguration of the farm on 05 June 2026, we are inviting farmers, families, neighbours, students, policymakers, researchers, entrepreneurs and anyone interested in food and agriculture to come and discover what we are building.

Whether you are excited, curious, sceptical or simply looking for a unique day out, you are welcome!

What is a Cultivated Meat Farm?

The RespectFarms facility is the first farm in the world exploring how cultivated meat production can be integrated into an existing livestock farm. Located on the dairy farm of Corné van Leeuwen in Schipluiden, the project explores how farmers could play a role in future food production by combining traditional farming knowledge with new technologies.

Our goal is simple: To keep farmers at the centre of future food systems.

What can you expect?

Throughout the day, visitors will have the opportunity to explore the farm, meet the team behind the project and learn more about cultivated meat and future food production.

Farm Tours

Join a guided tour of the world's first cultivated meat farm and discover how the project came to life.

The First Cell Farmers Symposium

Tue, 19 May 2026 02:16:38 -0700

Join leading stakeholders in agritech and cellular agriculture

On behalf of RespectFarms and the Province of Zuid-Holland, we are pleased to invite you to the First Cell Farmers Symposium.

This symposium will bring together key stakeholders from farming, cellular agriculture, agritech, food systems, and policy to explore how cellular cultivation can become an integrated part of the future agritech ecosystem.

We will discuss

Emerging opportunities in cellular agriculture
Key...Read More

Future of Farming Week at RespectFarms

Mon, 18 May 2026 03:24:33 -0700

Three days. Three milestones. One shared vision for the future of farming.

On 04–05 June 2026, RespectFarms will bring together farmers, researchers, innovators, policymakers, investors and communities for a unique series of events exploring how cellular agriculture can become part of tomorrow’s agricultural ecosystem.

Across three days, we will connect ideas, people and places: from discussions on the future of agritech and cellular agriculture, to the inauguration of the world's first cultivated meat farm, and finally a moment to celebrate with the wider community.

What started as a question: "Can cultivated meat become something for farmers?" is becoming a living ecosystem.

This event series is a milestone for farming, innovation and collaboration.

📍 The Hague & Schipluiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands

🗓 04–05 June 2026

WHY THIS WEEK MATTERS

Agriculture is entering a period of profound transformation. Farmers face increasing pressure: changing regulations, sustainability challenges, evolving consumer demands and the need for new business opportunities.

At RespectFarms, we see cellular agriculture not as a replacement for farming, but as an opportunity to explore new business models, diversify farm activities and keep farmers at the center of future food production.

Future of Farming Week brings together the people building that future.

DAY 1- The First Cell Farmers Symposium

Thursday 04 June 2026 -...Read More

European farmers are ready to diversify their income streams, study shows

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 07:23:31 -0800

European livestock farming is under growing pressure. An aging farming community, volatile markets, rising costs, stricter environmental regulation, and shifting consumer expectations are forcing farmers to rethink how they produce food and how they stay economically viable and societally relevant. At the same time, cellular agriculture is emerging as a potential contributor to food security and sustainability; yet, it is often framed as a replacement for conventional farming, leading to an increase in polarization and skepticism, rather than constructive engagement.
The urgent need to bridge this gap was the starting point of a new study conducted by RespectFarms within the FEASTS consortium. We set out to document how European livestock farmers run their businesses today, in order to better understand under what conditions new technologies– such as cultivated meat – could realistically be integrated into the existing agricultural system. We conducted 41 in-depth interviews with livestock farmers from 8 EU countries, but rather than directly focusing on cellular agriculture, the research concentrated on farmers’ realities right now: their personal
backgrounds, opinions, income streams, strategic choices, constraints, and visions for the future.
Farmers operate through diverse and hybrid business models
Across countries and production types, we...Read More

World’s First Cultivated Meat Farm Launches in the Netherlands

Sat, 22 Nov 2025 09:18:15 -0800

A unique collaboration by RespectFarms for farmer Corné van Leeuwen, supported by EIP-Agri and the Province of Zuid-Holland, brings cultivated meat production to a working farm for the first time.
The Hague, 22 November 2025. In a global first, a working farm in Zuid-Holland, the Netherlands, is now equipped to produce cultivated meat thanks to RespectFarms collaborating with dairy farmer Corné van Leeuwen. With the cultivated meat units installed and operational in the coming weeks, the farm will show how farmers can make meat directly from cells and integrate cultivated meat production into existing farm operations. The project is supported by the European Innovation Partnership for Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability (EIP-Agri) and the Province of Zuid-Holland, generating new knowledge and opportunities for livestock farmers, policymakers, and the wider community.

Two Historic Firsts
This project marks two major world-first achievements:
1. The launch of the world’s first cultivated meat farm. Designed and implemented by RespectFarms, a farm-scale cultivated meat production unit is placed into Corné van Leeuwen’s existing dairy operation, creating a real-world test centre for learning how cultivated meat production can complement livestock farming.
2. The first farmer in the world to receive agricultural funding for cultivated meat production. Corné van Leeuwen has received support through Read More

The World’s First Cultivated Meat Farm to be Built in the Netherlands

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 05:01:31 -0700

International expert consortium launches pioneering project to empower farmers with sustainable food production.
The Hague, 03 September 2025 – The CRAFT Consortium, comprising RespectFarms, Wageningen University & Research, Mosa Meat, Aleph Farms, Multus, Kipster, and Royal Kuijpers, has started designing and building the world’s first cultivated meat farm, paving the way for commercialisation.
Co-funded by EIT Food, the project has been awarded the first €2 million of a €4 million grant request. This landmark initiative will enable farmers to diversify their businesses with cultivated meat technology — reducing water consumption by 78%, land use by 95%, and societal cost by 56%.
“It is important for food innovations to stay as close as possible to primary food production, making use of local resources and waste streams” says René Wijffels, Professor at Wageningen University, Bioprocess Engineering.
“This represents the first effort globally to merge cellular and traditional farming and promises to deliver consumers the best of both worlds: the unrivalled experience of real meat, through products produced and sold locally. The project will deliver a business model that is...Read More

Rabobank continues support for RespectFarms

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 07:48:11 -0700

July 2024 -
A Herd of Bioreactors: RespectFarms transforms beef farming, together with Dutch agricultural bank Rabobank

Rethinking Business Models for Beef Farmers
The concept of producing meat without slaughtering animals on a farm seems far-fetched. Today, RespectFarms is moving forward innovativing the cultivated meat industry, backed by a €25,000 grant from the Rabo Impact Fund.
Cultivated meat is created by growing animal stem cells in a bioreactor, where they are nurtured with nutrients until they develop into meat. Ralf Becks, co-founder at RespectFarms, sees this as a game-changer: “It allows for meat production at a lower cost and carbon footprint compared to traditional methods, which require vast resources—land, water, and feed. Plus, since it’s an artificial process, it produces zero manure pollution.”
Empowering Farmers
RespectFarms is focused on helping beef farmers transition to this new model. By keeping just a few cows for stem cell harvesting, farmers can produce meat more efficiently and profitably. RespectFarms envisions a network of smaller bioreactors that can operate year-round, utilizing existing resources like skilled labor and renewable energy.
Overcoming Skepticism
With plans to open a test farm in 2025, RespectFarms faces skepticism, with 90% of surveyed farmers dismissing the concept. RespectFarms believes in engaging with the 10% who are open to innovation, emphasizing the importance of collaboration.
Support from the Rabo Impact Fund
The Rabo Impact Fund plays a crucial role in this initiative, supporting high-potential projects that can’t yet secure traditional funding. Carlo Verhart from the...Read More

The societal costs of cultured meat from the farm

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 02:06:37 -0700

Den Haag, 24-09-2024
In an era where the environmental impacts of our food choices are under scrutiny, the exploration of sustainable protein sources has gained urgency. A recent study from the "PPP True Price: from Insight to Action" consortium dives deep into the societal costs, or external costs, associated with cultivated meat from the farm compared to conventional meat. This analysis employs the True Cost Accounting (TCA) method to shed light on the potential benefits of cultivated meat, particularly in the context of the Netherlands. The report can be found here.

The main question posed in the study is whether the external costs of RespectFarms’ locally produced cultivated meat will be lower than those of traditional Dutch chicken, pig, and dairy cow meat by 2030. The findings are promising. The report indicates that, the overall external costs of cultivated meat are expected to be 2 to 3,5 times lower than those of conventional meat.
The Netherlands stands as a global leader in livestock farming and protein-rich food exports, ranking second in agricultural exports worldwide. In 2019, the Netherlands produced over 3.7 million tonnes of meat, with 60% exported, generating €5.2 billion. Its strategic logistical and geographical position in Europe bolsters its position as one of the largest exporters of agricultural and food technology, including the potential for cultured meat.

In Need for Change
Traditionally, Dutch farmers have enjoyed robust earning capacity due to the Netherlands' status as an agricultural exporter. Livestock farming including the dairy, pig, and poultry sectors, have driven this success. However, recent challenges such as fluctuating market prices, high production costs, financial risks through infectious diseases, and stringent environmental and animal welfare regulations have impacted profitability and business resilience.
The current earning capacity is under pressure and there are little to no growth opportunities. A study conducted by Connecting Agri & Food with RESPECTfarms shows that, on average, no operational profit was made in the beef sector between 2020 and 2023. Even though 426 million euros in annual subsidies (CAP) are invested in it.
On top ofeconomical struggles, the Dutch livestock sector is under pressure due to environmental problems, such as nitrogen, and concerns about animal welfare and health. Intensive agricultural practices lead to tensions in the field of spatial...Read More