Event description

Our domestic and global food systems face challenges that compromise their productivity, security, and sustainability. Climate change, economic shocks, and geopolitical conflict have altered the production and flow of agricultural goods around the world, while a growing global population and socioeconomic changes further strain our food systems.

Animal agriculture, though an important source of nutrition and wealth, can exacerbate the challenges posed by climate change, disease emergence, and economic shocks. Today, many countries are seeking to change the way they produce food, supplementing animal protein with non-animal protein sources that provide the precise experience of meat but require fewer inputs, produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions, and have simpler, more adaptable supply chains.

These are known as alternative proteins. Created using plant-based or cellular agriculture, alternative proteins have climate change benefits that are well documented, but relatively less is known about their ability to address the global and domestic risks inherent to today’s food systems.

Will alternative proteins reduce the risk of zoonotic disease transmission and antimicrobial resistance in food production? Can alternative proteins bolster the resilience of domestic food systems and enhance the economic competitiveness of the United States? And how will they affect the future of our national security?

We look forward to welcoming USDA Deputy Under Secretary Sanah Baig, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Senior Fellow Jon Bateman, Schmidt Futures Program Scientist Genevieve Croft, Barclays Managing Director and Global Head of Venture Capital Banking Matt Spence, and Good Food Institute Founder & President Bruce Friedrich for this in-depth discussion on the role of alternative proteins in addressing global and domestic security considerations.

Event location

1616 Rhode Island Avenue, NW
Washington, District of Columbia 20036 United States
+ Google Map

GFI speaker

Brucef headshot 1 cropped modified

Bruce Friedrich

PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER

Bruce Friedrich serves as GFI’s chief thought leader and relationship-builder, working in close partnership with GFI’s global teams and food system stakeholders around the world.

Upcoming events

View all events
Industry academia illustrative graphic
Virtual Event

Alt Protein Pipelines: Building a customized course around open-access resources

Discover practical ways to incorporate GFI’s resources into both new and existing educational programs.

An illustration of the globe with two hands reaching towards one another.  third party event featured image.
Omni Tempe Hotel at ASU

Society of Environmental Journalists Annual Conference 2025

Join GFI at this Southwest-based conference that explores the increasingly important role of environmental journalists! We will be exhibiting at the event to educate attendees about the power and potential…

Gfi knowledge partner icon
James H. Clark Center Auditorium

Re-Thinking Food: From Plate to Planet

Join GFI’s Bianca Datta in attending Re-Thinking Food: From Plate to Planet! This experience will bring together leading researchers, policymakers, and industry experts to explore the latest science and innovations…

An illustration of the globe with two hands reaching towards one another.  third party event featured image.
Oregon Convention Center

2025 AOCS Meeting (American Oil Chemists’ Society)

Join GFI experts at the AOCS Meeting to explore research on land use efficiency and the environmental impact of plant-based meats.

Plates of various prepared alternative protein dishes
Virtual Event

Protein diversification: A strategic lever for sustainable impact

What does meaningful protein diversification look like in practice? Join GFI for a webinar covering insights from the World Benchmarking Alliance on their latest benchmarking results, Nestlé on their corporate…

An illustration of the world with trees and windmills in the background

Midwest Climate Summit

Don’t miss Sheila Voss, GFI’s senior vice president of communications, at the 2025 Midwest Climate Summit as she co-leads a dynamic workshop exploring how alternative proteins can help address the…

An illustration of the globe with two hands reaching towards one another.  third party event featured image.
Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel

Future Food-Tech Chicago – Sustainable Proteins & Ingredients

Join GFI’s Amanda Hildebrand at Future Food-Tech Chicago as she moderates a panel on Scaling Biomanufacturing: Optimizing Facilities and Bioprocess Design, diving deep into the infrastructure, cost, and regulatory considerations…

An illustration depicting people in science, industry, and academic settings
Virtual Event

Building Your Alt Protein Career

Discover academic and industry career paths in the alternative protein sector, and get inspired by real-world experiences and actionable advice from our guest speaker.