Dutch dairy farm launches world’s first on-farm cultivated meat production

Cultivated Meat & Seafood

Dutch dairy farm launches world’s first on-farm cultivated meat production

Rafaela Sousa

24 November 2025

Dutch dairy farm launches world’s first on-farm cultivated meat production

A dairy farm in Zuid-Holland has become the first in the world to produce cultivated meat on-site, through a collaboration between start-up RespectFarms and farmer Corné van Leeuwen.

The farm-scale production units are set to become operational in the coming weeks, integrating cell-based meat production into existing livestock operations.

The project is supported by the European Innovation Partnership for Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability (EIP-Agri) and the Province of Zuid-Holland. Van Leeuwen is the first farmer to receive agricultural funding for cultivated meat under EIP-Agri, marking a global first for farm-level testing of this technology.

RespectFarms developed the units as part of a decentralised, farm-integrated model, aiming to enable farmers to diversify income while remaining central to food production. “We’re building a model where livestock farmers remain at the centre of food production, not replaced by factories,” said Ira van Eelen, co-founder of RespectFarms.

The van Leeuwen farm has previously introduced innovations such as milking robots and artisanal cheese production. Van Leeuwen said the cultivated meat project is a potential new income model that complements existing operations.

The Province of Zuid-Holland provided additional funding, highlighting the initiative as a step toward sustainable food production and local economic development.

An Experience Centre will open at the farm in spring 2026 to engage farmers, policymakers, educators and the public with on-farm cultivated meat production.

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