A collaboration by RespectFarms with farmer Corné van Leeuwen has led to the launch of the world’s first cultivated meat farm in the Netherlands. To foster public engagement and transparency, an Experience Centre will open at the farm in the Spring of 2026.
As a result of RespectFarms collaborating with dairy farmer Corné van Leeuwen, a working farm in Zuid-Holland, the Netherlands, is now equipped to produce cultivated meat, a global first. With the cultivated meat units installed and operational soon, the farm is expected to show how farmers can make meat directly from cells and integrate cultivated meat production into existing farm operations. The project is supported by the European Innovation Partnership for Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability (EIP-Agri) and the Province of Zuid-Holland, generating new knowledge and opportunities for livestock farmers, policymakers, and the wider community.
TWO HISTORIC FIRSTS
RespectFarms highlights this project as marking two major world-first achievements:
1. The launch of the world’s first cultivated meat farm. Designed and implemented by RespectFarms, a farm-scale cultivated meat production unit is placed into Corné van Leeuwen’s existing dairy operation, creating a real-world test centre for learning how cultivated meat production can complement livestock farming.
2. The first farmer in the world to receive agricultural funding for cultivated meat production. Corné van Leeuwen has received support through EIP-Agri, which connects farmers, researchers, and businesses to accelerate innovation in agriculture across Europe. This framework enabled the use of agricultural funds to test a completely new food technology on an active farm, as an additional business model.
Photo: RespectFarms
RESPECTFARMS: SYSTEM INTEGRATOR
RespectFarms integrates cultivated meat and the knowledge of technology partners to develop a scalable, on-farm cultivated meat model. The startup states that it supports a different scale, farm-integrated approach to cultivated meat production, rather than relying on massive, centralised facilities. This ‘scale-out’ model introduces advanced agritech to farms, supporting innovation, income diversification, and locally rooted food production. It contributes to the development of more resilient food systems and strengthens the economic foundations of rural communities, according to the company’s announcement.
“We’re building a model where livestock farmers remain at the centre of food production, not replaced by factories,” says Ira van Eelen, Co-founder RespectFarms and Cellular Agriculture Netherlands. “This is an opportunity to make the protein transition fair, transparent, and rooted in rural communities”.
“At RespectFarms we are pioneering a fast way to commercialize cultivated meat – decentralised and together with agricultural, tech and supply chain partners,” notes Florentine Zieglowski, Co-founder RespectFarms.
“RespectFarms boils down a world problem to farm size. And once it works, we scale this out to the world to increase impact,” comments Ralf Becks, Co-founder RespectFarms.
CORNÉ VAN LEEUWEN: FARMING AND INNOVATION
The van Leeuwen farm continues the family tradition of agricultural innovation, from the first milking robot to artisanal cheese, and now the introduction of cultivated meat as an additional business model.
“As a farmer you have to look ahead, especially these days,” remarks dairy farmer Corné van Leeuwen. “This is a chance to see whether a new income model can fit alongside what we already do. Making cultivated meat on the farm makes sense for many reasons. Not trying it would be a missed opportunity.”
THE ROLE OF EIP-AGRI
EIP-Agri is an EU framework designed to accelerate agricultural innovation by connecting farmers, researchers, and businesses. It funds experimental projects that improve productivity, sustainability, and knowledge sharing. In this project, EIP-Agri has enabled the first-ever use of agricultural innovation funds for cultivated meat by a farmer on his farm.
EXPERIENCE CENTRE, OPENING SPRING 2026
To foster public engagement and transparency, an Experience Centre will open at the farm in the Spring of 2026, engaging with farmers, value chain stakeholders, and policy makers, plus welcoming local communities and educators to see cultivated meat production firsthand.
“People need to see what’s really happening,” points out Ira van Eelen. “It’s good to have a place where science meets farmers, citizens, and policymakers to learn, debate, and co-create the future of food production and farming.”
