The meat alternative trend has been on a steady increase, and it has the potential to substantially cut carbon emissions. Gaining momentum and popularity, meat alternatives, like the Impossible Burger, could shape a meatless future. A future where the human diet consists of less meat is potentially vital to the overall health and conservation of the environment.

According to the Sierra Club, 27.0 kilograms of CO₂ are emitted for every one kilogram of beef consumed. Also, Beef cattle are responsible for a quarter of the emissions from American agriculture. The UN released a statement last August noting if humans universally ate less meat, worldwide emissions could potentially decrease as much as eight gigatons annually. Soy beans, one of the main ingredients of meatless meats, may be one of many answers to combat meat-related CO₂ emissions.

Soy beans have deep roots in Illinois. According to the Chicago Magazine Illinois is the largest producer of soy beans in America. Having a head start on soy bean production could be very beneficial to the state. Just in the past two years, the plant-based meat industry’s value has increased 31%. The growth of the trend has reached beyond the more traditional tofu as a meat supplement.
Meatless burgers, meatless fried chicken, and meatless fish sticks might sound impossible. However, these popular food items are very real.

The new meat alternatives have been appearing all over menus of popular fast-food restaurants and higher-end eateries. A meat-free future might be unavoidable, and Illinois farmers are here to make it as possible as Burger King’s Impossible Whopper