There is a staggering amount of livestock not only in the United States but other highly populated countries as well (Figure 11). As mentioned previously, maintaining these animal populations takes a massive toll on the environment, arable land, and water availability. If the technology described in this post becomes a reality, it is inevitable that these populations will shrink dramatically, starting in 'westernized' societies and eventually spreading throughout the world. The concept of farming animals for food will likely always exist and markets for high quality meats seem likely to remain for the foreseeable future. However, in vitro meat does essentially offer the opportunity to eliminate the need for animals altogether (via immortalized cells, for instance) and thus the possibility exists in the future for technological maturity to hit a point where traditional animal farming becomes practically non-existent.