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The Good Food Institute

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The Good Food Institute (GFI) is a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that promotes plant-based meat, dairy, and egg substitutes as well as clean meat (also known as cultured meat) alternatives to the products of conventional animal agriculture.[1] The organization launched in February 2016 with the vision of creating a healthy, humane, and sustainable food supply. GFI targets scientists, policymakers,[2] and entrepreneurs to promote plant-based products and cellular agriculture.[3]

The group has conducted activities in Washington D.C., which include filing lawsuits against the FDA and the USDA.[4][5][6]

GFI’s promotion of plant-based and "clean meat" has been featured on various news outlets including the Washington Post Magazine and VICE.[7][8] According to Co-Founder and Executive Director Bruce Friedrich, “it’s likely that, in a few generations, animal slaughter for food will be extremely rare in the developed world.”[9]

Advisors

Among GFI's 25 advisors[10] are entrepreneurs, food industry experts, CEOs, scientists, authors, and financial advisors, including:

Lawsuits

Against the FDA

In June 2016, GFI filed a lawsuit in a D.C. federal court demanding that the FDA turn over all records related to its regulation of the term "soy milk," after the agency failed to respond to several Freedom of Information Act requests GFI submitted in April 2016. According to Politico's Morning Agriculture report, GFI wants the FDA to formally "allow the use of the term 'soy milk,' and says the agency's inconsistency on the matter has led to 'consumer confusion and an uneven competitive landscape.'"[11]

Against the USDA

After filing three Freedom of Information Act requests to obtain documents from the USDA related to its open investigation of the American Egg Board's allegedly anti-competitive actions[12] against egg-free Mayo company, Hampton Creek, GFI sued the agency on Monday, August 8, 2016, for failing to respond to the requests in full.[13] According to an article on Vice Motherboard, GFI filed FOIA requests in December for meeting minutes and budgetary documents from the Egg Board, but was only given access to documents that had already been made public.

Open Philanthropy Project grant

In September 2016, the Open Philanthropy Project (OPP) awarded GFI a $1,000,000 grant for general support.[14] The grant was made under OPP’s farm animal welfare effort, which is one of their major focus areas given the large number of farmed animals subject to considerable suffering.[15]

Effective altruism

GFI has ties with the effective altruism (EA) movement, as helping farmed animals is one of EA's major cause areas.[16][17] GFI was founded as a sister project of Mercy for Animals,[18] one of EA organization Animal Charity Evaluators' top charities,[19] and GFI Executive Director Bruce Friedrich spoke on EA Global 2016's panel on "Rethinking Meat and the End of Factory Farming".[20] In 2016, effective altruist Michael Dickens wrote an essay explaining his decision to donate $20,000 to GFI, arguing it was among the most promising targets for donors interested in maximizing impact.[21]

Animal Charity Evaluators review

In November 2016, Animal Charity Evaluators (ACE) named GFI as one of its Top Charities in its annual animal charity recommendations.[22] The ACE review lists GFI's strengths as its potential to decrease demand for animal products—possibly much more rapidly than moral arguments—and the focus of GFI's leadership on effectiveness. Their weaknesses, according to ACE, include its short track record, the difficulty of developing cost-competitive "clean meat", and the possible difficulties with finding and hiring the right staff.[22]

ACE estimates that GFI could use $500,000 to $1 million more in 2017 than it did in 2016. These funds would likely go to filling their operating reserve and hiring new staff.[22]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Good Food Institute website". Retrieved 2017-12-06.
  2. ^ Schreckinger, Ben (2001-09-11). "Tauzin for St. Charles Parish, Klueter for Mexico". Politico. Retrieved 2017-03-06.
  3. ^ Rachel Duran (2016-03-16). "Food's future: New VC firm and nonprofit among investors in natural, organic startups". Food Dive. Retrieved 2017-03-06.
  4. ^ "The lab-grown food industry is now lobbying in Washington — Quartz". Qz.com. 2016-06-22. Retrieved 2017-03-06.
  5. ^ Schreckinger, Ben (2016-08-04). "Hampton Creek 'Just Mayo' scandal spreads". Politico. Retrieved 2017-03-06.
  6. ^ "How 'Big Egg' Tried to Control Your Mayonnaise - Motherboard". Motherboard.vice.com. Retrieved 2017-03-06.
  7. ^ "Why the Meat Factories of the Future Will Look Like Breweries - MUNCHIES". Munchies.vice.com. 2015-09-29. Retrieved 2017-03-06.
  8. ^ Byrd, Emily (2016-08-01). "Cultured Meat Good Food Institute Q&A Washington Post - The Good Food Institute". Gfi.org. Retrieved 2017-03-06.
  9. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-09-16. Retrieved 2016-09-09. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  10. ^ "Team Working on Cultured Meat and Plant-Based Meat - The Good Food Institute". Gfi.org. 2016-01-11. Retrieved 2017-03-06.
  11. ^ Bottemiller Evich, Helena. "SNA rallies against block grants". Politico Morning Ag. Politico. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
  12. ^ Charles, Dan (3 September 2015). "How Big Egg Tried To Bring Down Little 'Mayo' (And Failed)". NPR. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
  13. ^ Boudreau, Catherine. "Hampton Creek 'Just Mayo' Scandal Spreads". Politico Morning Agriculture. Politico. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
  14. ^ Open Philanthropy Project (October 2016). "The Good Food Institute - General Support". Retrieved November 23, 2016.
  15. ^ Open Philanthropy Project (September 2013). "Treatment of Animals in Industrial Agriculture". Retrieved November 23, 2016.
  16. ^ "What are the biggest problems in the world?". April 2016. Retrieved November 23, 2016.
  17. ^ "Introduction to Effective Altruism". Retrieved November 23, 2016.
  18. ^ Richard Bowie (March 5, 2016). "MFA Launches New Sister Organization". Retrieved November 23, 2016.
  19. ^ Animal Charity Evaluators (May 2014). "Mercy for Animals Review". Retrieved November 23, 2016.
  20. ^ Effective Altruism Global. "Bruce Friedrich". Retrieved November 23, 2016.
  21. ^ Michael Dickens (November 1, 2016). "Where I Am Donating in 2016". Retrieved November 23, 2016.
  22. ^ a b c Animal Charity Evaluators (November 2016). "The Good Food Institute". Retrieved November 28, 2016.

Further information

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