Precision Fermentation and Animal Welfare Opportunities

Precision fermentation technologies producing animal proteins without animals offer the potential to dramatically reduce farm animal suffering while meeting protein demand.

Key Facts

Precision fermentation uses microorganisms to produce animal proteins including whey, egg white, and meat proteins
Products including Perfect Day dairy proteins and EVERY Company egg proteins are already commercially available
If widely adopted, precision fermentation could eliminate demand for some farm animal products with the poorest welfare records
Production cost reductions are needed for precision fermentation to compete with conventional animal products at scale

Welfare Considerations

Precision fermentation represents a potential technological solution to some of the most intractable farm animal welfare problems. If animal-identical dairy and egg proteins can be produced without animals, the millions of animals in the worst welfare conditions could be replaced. The welfare benefit depends on adoption speed and economic competitiveness.

What You Can Do

Try precision fermentation products when available in your market
Support investment in alternative protein companies working on animal welfare solutions
Advocate for food labeling that transparently communicates the animal welfare dimensions of different protein sources
Engage with the potential of food technology to solve welfare problems alongside regulatory and behavioral approaches
Support research into cost reduction for precision fermentation to accelerate welfare-positive adoption