Lab-grown wood: a potential game changer for forestry and forest products

Abstract

The first time I read about lab-grown meat—about seven years ago—I laughed and thought, "That’s ridiculous!" The cost was astronomical: $280,000 for a single hamburger patty! How would it be scaled up from a petri dish in a lab to commercial production? And who'd want to eat this reportedly unpalatable product? Fast forward to today, and the cost of lab-grown meat has dropped dramatically, quality and taste have improved rapidly, and it's being served in restaurants for the first time (Phys.Org 2020). Many start-ups are working to commercialize "slaughter-free" meat, which could someday radically disrupt traditional meat production. The implications for agriculture, ranching, and conservation would be profound.

Citation

Bengston, David N. 2021. Lab-grown wood: a potential game changer for forestry and forest products. The Forestry Source. 26(3): 10, 17.​