ProVeg recently attended the New Harvest Cellular Agriculture leadership summit in Alberta, Canada
By Julia Martin, ProVeg International Cellular Agriculture Lead
This October, ProVeg had the opportunity to participate in the New Harvest Cellular Agriculture leadership summit in Alberta, Canada, alongside 20 international leaders, academics, entrepreneurs, and corporations working in cellular agriculture. Together, this collective discussed a shared vision for a transparent, collaborative, and robust global development of this set of technologies.
Over two days, participants shared insights, toured cutting-edge facilities, and engaged in dynamic workshops that highlighted the importance of collaboration and innovation for driving the global development of cellular agriculture. The summit underscored the critical role this emerging sector will play in creating sustainable, resilient food systems – offering solutions that address food security, environmental challenges, and animal welfare.
Keep reading for my experiences and key takeaways from Alberta, and to learn more about the latest innovations in cellular agriculture.
Innotech Alberta Research Institute, Canada
A highlight was visiting the Innotech Alberta Research Institute, home to a state-of-the-art fermentation plant that can scale processes from 20 to 15,000 litres, alongside extensive downstream processing capabilities. The visit was incredibly insightful, thanks to meaningful exchanges with the Institute’s stellar team of scientists, who bring over 30 years of experience working with a wide range of organisms and processes. The Innotech team expressed strong enthusiasm for collaborating on cellular agriculture projects in Canada, engaging both local and international developers. They were confident in the feasibility of producing cellular agriculture products at scale and with cost efficiency, addressing key concerns that have long been part of the conversation surrounding this field.
At Innotech, we also had a brief but impactful discussion with ADM John Conrad of the Alberta Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation. ADM Conrad, who hails from Alberta’s prominent ranching community, voiced his strong support for the development of cellular agriculture in the region. His backing is particularly noteworthy, given Alberta’s deep agricultural roots, and it sets a valuable precedent for building bridges between traditional ranchers and proponents of cellular agriculture, fostering collaboration rather than division.
The success of these early dialogues underscores the critical work New Harvest has been leading in Canada and highlights the potential for inclusive, constructive conversations across diverse stakeholders in our evolving food systems.
Institute of Cellular Agriculture at the University of Alberta, Canada
We also had the privilege to visit the future Institute of Cellular Agriculture at the University of Alberta, where Dr. Ning Xiang, the first tenure-track academic in Cellular Agriculture in Canada, will build her lab and research group. The institute is home to a multitude of equipment to support meat science, fermentation, feed and food product development, and food safety.
Significantly, the Institute will be based in a facility with an extensive legacy of meat science and product development. It’s been home to decade-long development projects carried out in partnership with global meat producers, which brings a unique opportunity for collaboration, transition, and plural engagement in future projects involving cellular agriculture. This offers a distinctive and inspiring model for how the future of meat science and multi-stakeholder collaboration could unfold in other regions.
Roundtables, workshops, and a shared vision for cellular agriculture
For two full days, we engaged in roundtables, workshops, and exercises focused on identifying priorities and gaps within the cellular agriculture ecosystem. We also strategised collaborative efforts to boost the impact of this promising technology.
One of the two main themes of discussion was science and technology enablement, focusing on expanding the current limits of what these technologies can achieve. The group identified key needs, including attracting talent from other fields, expanding university programmes and reliable formal training, and increasing access to fundamental knowledge. Perhaps the most pressing requirement, however, was political support and greater public investment in the field. To effectively engage decision-makers, robust evidence of the economic potential of cellular agriculture is crucial. With this in mind, we are thrilled to see the recent work of Systemiq – guided by GFI, which has released an important source of evidence outlying the economic opportunity for cultivated meat in Europe.
The other central theme of the discussion encapsulated policy, society, and economics, which tried to bundle the integration of cellular agriculture into our societal and economic system. Justice was at the core of these discussions, and the group agreed that cellular agriculture must contribute to social equality. Its inclusion must be accomplished via the inclusion of all stakeholders across the existing food system. This resonates with recently released literature, both from Wageningen University, and Tufts University.
Feeding the future
Ultimately, the group worked together to develop a collective vision for the future of cellular agriculture over the next 20 years. We envisioned cellular agriculture becoming an integral part of a more diverse and resilient food system, featuring distributed, localised value chains that are domestically owned and supported, steering clear of monopolistic control. This approach would strengthen the agricultural sector and its stakeholders.
Most importantly, cellular agriculture has the potential to help feed the growing global population in a world shaped by climate change, while also boosting sustainability, food security, public health, and animal welfare.
We want to thank New Harvest Canada for inviting us to this insightful and constructive event, and look forward to the work we can all create together to amplify the positive impact of cellular agriculture!
To wrap up, here are five actionable insights informed by my experiences, for cellular agriculture stakeholders, individuals, and organisations interested in this sector:
- Build multi-stakeholder alliances
Engage policymakers and farmers early to foster regulatory support and bridge gaps between traditional agriculture and cellular agriculture. - Prioritise cross-sector collaboration
Recruit talent from bioprocessing, food science, and related industries, and collaborate with academic institutions (such as the new Institute at the University of Alberta) to drive innovation. - Champion political will and public investment
Provide robust economic data to policymakers to encourage public investment and secure political support for cellular agriculture. - Focus on justice and equity in food systems
Create business models that ensure value distribution across the supply chain, supporting local economies and avoiding monopolies. - Promote sustainability and security
Position cellular agriculture as a solution to food security, climate change, and public health challenges to align with global sustainability goals.
By focusing on these insights, you can help drive the successful adoption and integration of cellular agriculture technologies into mainstream markets.
For more support on your alternative protein strategy, contact [email protected].
By Julia Martin, ProVeg International Cellular Agriculture Lead
