This post highlights some of the ways animal advocacy groups are transforming the food system and other industries by increasing the availability of animal-free products. Our goal here is not to examine or compare the effectiveness of different interventions, but rather to showcase the diversity of approaches animal advocates can use to achieve similar goals. We hope that the programs and interventions below inspire organizations and individuals to broaden their awareness of ways to approach their work.

Cellular agriculture—animal-derived products grown using cells instead of animals—has the potential to strengthen food security, reduce pollution and land use, and eradicate factory farming, sparing the lives of billions of farmed animals per year. But more research, talent, and resources are needed before cellular agriculture can ramp up production and achieve its potential impact.

Cellular Agriculture Australia (CAA) aims to propel cellular agriculture forward by fostering research, collaboration, competition, and innovation across the Australian cell-ag industry. Their efforts include raising public awareness about cell-cultured technology, promoting career paths in the field, and supporting novel and applied cellular agriculture research.

“There are currently eight cellular agriculture companies and six academic labs actively researching in Australia,” said Joanne Tunna, Operations Manager at CAA. “The ecosystem, although still emerging, is gaining momentum, in part due to CAA’s efforts to raise awareness and educate students as well as connect talent to research and industry opportunities.”

One of those opportunities is Seed Grants: CAA’s new seed funding program designed to attract new talent and increase the amount of open-access research in the field. Others interested in pursuing a future in cellular agriculture can visit Pathways, an interactive career exploration tool detailing in-demand majors, focus areas, and job roles required to tackle the industry’s biggest challenges.

Read the full article about animal-free products by Selena Darlim at Animal Charity Evaluators.