RespectFarms launches first Cell Farmers Symposium to explore role of farmers in cellular agriculture

RespectFarms and the Province of Zuid-Holland have hosted the first Cell Farmers Symposium in The Hague, bringing together farmers, policymakers, researchers, industry representatives and technology companies to discuss how cellular agriculture could become part of the future farming landscape.

• RespectFarms and the Province of Zuid-Holland hosted the inaugural Cell Farmers Symposium in The Hague on June 4, 2026.
• The event brought together farmers, policymakers, researchers, technology companies, NGOs and industry leaders to discuss cellular agriculture.
• Participants signed a manifesto supporting continued dialogue on how farmers could participate in emerging cellular agriculture value chains.

Held on June 4, the event attracted a full house of participants from across the farming, food, technology and innovation sectors. Organizers said the symposium was designed to explore how cellular agriculture and traditional agriculture could develop alongside one another, while ensuring farmers remained central to discussions about future food production.

The gathering reflected growing interest in understanding how advances in biotechnology and food production could create new opportunities for agricultural communities.

The program featured speakers from across the cellular agriculture ecosystem, including Peter Holl of Sartorius, Didier Toubia of Aleph Farms, Hannah Lester of Atova Regulatory Consulting, Maresa Oosterman of Cellular Agriculture Netherlands and René Wijffels of Wageningen University & Research.

A farmer panel included Corné van Leeuwen, Ruud Zanders, Leon Moonen and Focko Zwanenburg, providing perspectives from the agricultural sector on the opportunities and challenges associated with emerging food technologies.

The event was supported by the Province of Zuid-Holland, with representatives Ton Jonker, Wijnand van Smaalen and Nikos van Aelst helping facilitate discussions between stakeholders from different parts of the food system.

One of the key sessions took place at the end of the day, when participants joined a workshop led by RespectFarms co-founder Ralf Becks. The session focused on identifying the steps needed to ensure farmers could participate in and benefit from future cellular agriculture value chains.

The workshop concluded with attendees signing a manifesto expressing their commitment to continuing discussions around the role of farmers in the development of cellular agriculture.

Ira van Eelen, co-founder of RespectFarms, said the event demonstrated strong interest in creating a constructive dialogue between agriculture and emerging food technologies.

“Farmers should remain at the centre of future food production,” said van Eelen. “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.”

RespectFarms said the symposium was intended to serve as the first edition of an annual platform connecting stakeholders from farming, science, industry and policy.

The organization plans to continue building on the discussions from this year's event and expand participation in future editions.

“This was never meant to be a one-off event,” said van Eelen. “It is the beginning of a longer journey to explore how agriculture and cellular cultivation can evolve together.”