The inaugural Cell Farmers Symposium took place on June 4 in The Hague, bringing together farmers, policymakers, scientists, and industry representatives to examine how cellular agriculture could integrate into existing agricultural systems.
Organized by RespectFarms and the Province of Zuid-Holland, the event was held at the Provinciehuis Zuid-Holland. RespectFarms had designed the symposium specifically to position farmers as active participants in cellular cultivation, rather than bystanders to it.
Speakers and programme
The programme included contributions from Peter Holl of Sartorius, Didier Toubia of Aleph Farms, regulatory consultant Hannah Lester of Atova Regulatory Consulting, Maresa Oosterman of Cellular Agriculture Netherlands, and René Wijffels of Wageningen University & Research. A farmer panel featured Corné van Leeuwen, Ruud Zanders, Leon Moonen, and Focko Zwanenburg.
The day concluded with a workshop led by RespectFarms co-founder Ralf Becks, in which participants were asked to consider what conditions would need to be in place for farmers to fully participate in cellular agriculture value chains. Attendees signed a manifesto at the close of the session expressing a commitment to advancing the conversation.
A platform designed to continue
RespectFarms co-founder Ira van Eelen said the event was conceived as the first of an annual series. “This was never meant to be a one-off event. It is the beginning of a longer journey to explore how agriculture and cellular cultivation can evolve together,” van Eelen said.
Van Eelen also commented on the turnout: “Farmers should remain at the centre of future food production. The strong turnout and diversity of participants demonstrated that there is a real appetite for constructive dialogue on how innovation can create opportunities for farmers, rural communities and future food systems.”
