Enabling cellular agriculture in Australia

We are the only organisation dedicated to ensuring that Australia's cellular agriculture sector contributes to providing ethical, accessible and sustainable food for all.

What we do

We focus on tackling common challenges and opportunities facing the cellular agriculture sector in Australia.

We take an inclusive and participatory approach to our work by engaging with a broad range of stakeholders on key thematic areas. These areas include: regulation, policy & advocacy, sector building, communications & awareness-raising, and accountability & impact.

Cultivated Lamb Tacos by Magic Valley

What is cellular agriculture?

Cellular agriculture uses cells and innovative biotechnologies to produce new ingredients, food and agricultural products. The sector is working to create a range of nutritious products ethically and sustainably.

This method is most commonly used to make meat, seafood, dairy proteins and fats, which are typically derived from animals. It can also be used to make human breast milk as well as other products such as coffee, chocolate and palm oil.

Why cellular agriculture?

The global demand for food may increase by 50% by 2050. We cannot meet this demand sustainably or ethically with current production methods alone.

Cellular agriculture is one of many solutions required to ensure an ethical, accessible and sustainable food system into the future.

It has the potential to overcome six critical challenges facing our current food and agriculture system.

Its actual impact will depend on numerous decisions cellular agriculture companies will have to make as they move towards commercial scale.

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1

Food insecurity

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735 million people globally are undernourished and around 900 million people (11% of the world population) are severely food insecure.

We need efficient, affordable and distributed methods of production to boost food availability and accessibility.

Cellular agriculture has an important role to play in reshaping the way our food system is structured.

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2

Deforestation

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Animal agriculture alone uses 35% of the Earth’s habitable land, the equivalent of North and South America combined.

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Globally, we are losing almost 3.75 million hectares of vegetation every year and around half of that due to cattle grazing.

Cellular agriculture manufacturing facilities will require fewer land resources, which will create an opportunity to stop and reverse this trend.

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3

Biodiversity loss

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Widespread deforestation and marine habitat destruction has resulted in an alarming loss of biodiversity across the planet.

For instance, wild animals now make up only 4% of the physical biomass of all mammals on the planet. The remainder is made up of humans and our domesticated/farmed animals.

By reducing our dependence on land and our oceans for food production, cellular agriculture can help to mitigate this problem.

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4

Climate change

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Food systems are responsible for about 30% of the greenhouse gas emissions driving climate change, of which the majority can be attributed to animal products.

Animal agriculture alone is behind 14.5-20% of global emissions.

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By 2030, food produced through cellular agriculture using renewable energy technologies, is predicted to generate far less greenhouse gas emissions than conventionally produced meat.

For chicken, the most efficient meat, this could be 55% fewer emissions, for pork it could mean 65% fewer emissions and for beef, the reduction could be as high as 96%.

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In terms of dairy foods, the production of milk proteins through precision fermentation is predicted to generate 96% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than conventional dairy production.

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5

Public health

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Intensive livestock production has been linked to several human health issues. Including water and air pollution, foodborne pathogens, antimicrobial resistance, and the potential for disease transmission.

Three quarters of new or emerging infectious diseases come from animals and half of these are linked to livestock.

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With tightly controlled manufacturing processes and stringent food safety standards, cellular agriculture presents a way to minimise these risks.

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6

Animal welfare

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Intensively farmed animals endure unnatural living conditions and untold suffering.

Globally, it is estimated that 74% of all farmed land animals and almost all fish reside in intensive systems.

Cellular agriculture has the potential to vastly improve the welfare of animals by removing our dependence on them in our food system.

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Latest publications & insights

Keep up to date with the latest news and insights from CAA.

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November 8, 2024
November 8, 2024

Submission - Gene Technology Amendment Bill

Submission - Gene Technology Amendment Bill

Submission - Gene Technology Amendment Bill

Our submission to the Department of Health & Aged Care's consultation regarding its draft Gene Technology Amendment Bill.
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November 1, 2024
November 5, 2024

Cultivated Issue No. 63: October 2024

Cultivated Issue No. 63: October 2024

Cultivated Issue No. 63: October 2024

This month, we discuss findings from some comsumer research we are supporting, as well as our recent workshop at Alt Proteins 24.
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October 18, 2024
October 21, 2024

Introduction to cellular agriculture in Australia

Introduction to cellular agriculture in Australia

Introduction to cellular agriculture in Australia

An overview of cellular agriculture and the sector in Australia for audiences with little or no prior knowledge.
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Link to article
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November 8, 2024
November 8, 2024

Submission - Gene Technology Amendment Bill

Submission - Gene Technology Amendment Bill

Submission - Gene Technology Amendment Bill

Our submission to the Department of Health & Aged Care's consultation regarding its draft Gene Technology Amendment Bill.
Read more
Read more
Download
Link to article
Link to article
Link to article
November 1, 2024
November 5, 2024

Cultivated Issue No. 63: October 2024

Cultivated Issue No. 63: October 2024

Cultivated Issue No. 63: October 2024

This month, we discuss findings from some comsumer research we are supporting, as well as our recent workshop at Alt Proteins 24.
Read more
Read more
Download

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Upcoming events

Discover upcoming events within the cellular agriculture sector.

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Featured supporters

Our featured supporters are pioneering Australia’s cellular agriculture sector and are deeply engaged in supporting our mission.

Career opportunities

The sector is growing and presents a myriad of career opportunities across STEM and non-STEM fields.

Thank you to our supporters

We are deeply humbled and grateful for each and every one of our growing community of supporters. We simply would not be where we are without you.

Make a donation

If you believe in the impact potential of cellular agriculture and the work we do in enabling this, make a tax deductible donation today.