Cultivated Meat, Consumer Choice, and the Politics of Food with Hira Jaleel | Ep8

What happens when innovation collides with politics, fear, and entrenched industry power?

Dr. Johnny Lieberman welcomes Hira Jaleel—legal scholar and food systems researcher—to explore the rapidly evolving world of cultivated meat (also known as cell-cultured meat). Far from hype or sci‑fi fantasy, cultivated meat is positioned as one potential tool—not a silver bullet—for addressing the harms of industrial animal agriculture, including animal suffering, environmental pollution, and public health risks.

The conversation walks listeners through how cultivated meat is produced, why it eliminates many systemic risks of conventional meat production, and why eight U.S. states have moved to ban its sale altogether. Hira explains the regulatory framework, the massive subsidy imbalance favoring conventional meat, and the constitutional challenges now unfolding in courts.

Throughout the episode, Dr. Lieberman reframes the debate: not as “natural vs. unnatural,” but as a question of transparency, consumer sovereignty, and whether the public is being protected—or shielded from choice.

Key Themes & Takeaways

• Why the U.S. food system is structurally broken—and what role industrial animal agriculture plays
• What cultivated meat actually is (and common misconceptions)
• The public health implications of conventional meat: zoonotic disease, antibiotics, and contamination
• The true scale of subsidies propping up factory farming
• Why state bans on cultivated meat may be unconstitutional
• Consumer choice vs. agricultural protectionism
• Why neutral, rigorous regulation matters more than political fear\

About the Guest – Hira Jaleel

Hira Jaleel is a legal scholar whose work focuses on food systems, animal law, and constitutional issues at the intersection of public policy and innovation. Her research examines how emerging food technologies—like cultivated meat—are regulated, challenged, and sometimes blocked by state and federal law. Hira brings a rigorous, non‑ideological lens to debates about consumer choice, competition, and the future of food.

About the Show

Puppies, Pandemics, and Public Health explores the intersection of animal welfare, public policy, and human health. Hosted by Dr. Johnny Lieberman, each episode invites changemakers, legal experts, and health advocates to shed light on what really impacts our communities—and what we can do about it.

About the Host

Dr. Johnny Lieberman is a physician, public health advocate, and lifelong animal lover with a passion for connecting the dots between animal welfare, human behavior, and the systems that shape our lives. With a background in both medicine and public health policy, Johnny brings a unique lens to conversations about how our treatment of animals impacts human health, the environment, and social justice.

In Puppies, Pandemics, and Public Health, Johnny brings warmth, curiosity, and a dash of wit to tough conversations that matter. From exposing the realities of factory farming to uncovering the links between zoonotic diseases and our food systems, his goal is to empower listeners to be informed, compassionate, and engaged citizens—while still keeping it real (and sometimes bringing in puppies).

Whether he's discussing legislative loopholes or snuggling his rescue dog between recordings, Dr. Lieberman believes that creating a healthier world starts with how we treat its most vulnerable beings.

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