Alternative Proteins and Animal Agriculture Transition

Emerging alternative protein technologies offer the possibility of dramatically reducing animal welfare suffering in food production systems.

Key Facts

Cultivated meat is produced by growing animal cells without slaughtering animals
Singapore and the US have approved cultivated chicken products for sale
Plant-based meat alternatives now closely approximate the taste and texture of animal products
Fermentation-derived proteins can produce nutritionally complete food with minimal land and water use
Major investment in alternative proteins has grown from millions to billions of dollars annually

Welfare Considerations

Alternative protein technologies represent a potential long-term solution to the animal welfare crisis in food production. Cultivated meat produces animal protein without the associated animal suffering by growing animal cells in bioreactors. Plant-based alternatives have improved dramatically and now satisfy many consumers who eat them as direct substitutes. Precision fermentation allows production of animal proteins like dairy whey and egg whites without animals. These technologies face significant scaling challenges and will require sustained investment and policy support to reach cost parity with conventional animal products, but their trajectory is promising for long-term welfare improvement.

What You Can Do

Try cultivated and plant-based alternative products when available and affordable
Support companies and researchers developing alternative proteins
Advocate for government investment in alternative protein research and development
Share your experiences with alternative proteins with others in a positive way
Invest in alternative protein companies or funds if you have investment capacity