Article correction 14 August 2024: Recent updates have revealed that the US Department of Defense has clarified its stance on the funding of alternative protein sources. Contrary to previous reports, the DoD is not investing specifically in the manufacturing of cultivated meat.

A Pentagon spokesperson told The Cell Base: “DoD is not funding the manufacture of cultivated meat. There is no cultivated meat in military rations nor plans to feed troops cultivated meat. This research involves plant protein-based mycoprotein ingredients that are shelf-stable, have high protein and fibre contents and can be dehydrated."

They continued: "The ability of the US military to project power entails an equally imposing logistical chain to maintain stocks of food, water, medicines, fuel and other supplies critical to troops and equipment. That chain gets stretched to extremes when the military is called upon to rapidly deploy anywhere in the world and sustain operations without the benefit of fixed infrastructure."

The Pentagon spokesperson explained how, accordingly, the DoD is actively investigating ways critical supplies are procured in addition to creating systems that can rapidly produce materials, including food onsite, when and where they are needed. Adding that, in its research to produce food onsite, the DoD is working closely with the FDA to ensure all relevant guidelines are adhered to and regulatory standards are met.

Curt Chaffin, director of policy at the Good Food Institute, also spoke to us regarding the benefits of new food technologies: "New food biotechnologies like plant-based, fermentation-derived or cultivated meat can offer huge benefits to domestic national security and America's global competitiveness. Not only can alternative proteins diversify food systems, prevent supply chain disruptions and mitigate risks of bioterrorism, but they also offer tremendous job creation opportunities. We applaud the US government’s support of scientific research into new agricultural innovations that will help promote national security and domestic manufacturing.”

The original story continues below.

The US Department of Defense (DoD) has announced plans to provide $17.5 million in funding for the research and development of novel protein sources.

The public-private bio-manufacturing consortium, BioMADE, which is sponsored by the DoD, has released a call for alternative protein projects. This announcement comes as part of the Strategic Long-Term Aperture and Modernization (SLAM) Project Call, a new initiative aimed at supporting innovations in food technology for national security applications.

The SLAM Project Call specifically identifies cellular agriculture and alternative proteins as key focus areas. The funding opportunity seeks to support innovations in cellular agriculture and biomanufacturing, focusing on reducing the carbon footprint and enhancing sustainability in military operations.

The DoD is seeking proposals that can ‘provide novel protein sources to support warfighter nutritional needs’ and ‘enable new capabilities for food systems to support the future force.’

According to the project call, the total funding available for this initiative is $17.5 million, with individual awards ranging from $500,000 to $3 million.

One of the primary goals of the initiative is to advance sustainable food production methods. Companies working on food production technologies that minimise CO2 emissions are encouraged to apply. This includes those involved in cell-based meat and cultured protein production, fermentation processes, feedstock utilisation.

The document also encourages proposals on carbon capture technologies that can convert greenhouse gases like CO2 into bioproducts, as well as projects that can lower the resource requirements for bioindustrial processing steps.

The SLAM Project Call is open to a wide range of applicants, including academic institutions, small businesses and non-profit organisations. The DoD is particularly interested in proposals that can leverage existing R&D efforts, with the goal of accelerating the commercialisation and deployment of these innovative food technologies.

The news comes after various US states have passed, or are attempting to pass, laws banning the production and consumption of cultured meat. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) issued a statement condemning the research grant.

NCBA's VP of government affairs, Ethan Lane, said: “It is outrageous that the Department of Defense is spending millions of taxpayer dollars to feed our heroes like lab rats...American troops deserve to be served that same wholesome, natural meat and not ultra-processed, lab-grown protein that is cooked up in a chemical-filled bioreactor. This misguided research project is a giant slap in the face to everyone that has served our country. Our veterans and active-duty troops deserve so much better than this.”

It is important to recognise that such opposition often stems from agribusiness interests seeking to protect their own market share. The portrayal of traditional meat as the epitome of safety and wholesomeness ignores the mounting evidence of its environmental impact and the ethical concerns surrounding industrial livestock farming.

Cell-cultured protein offers a promising avenue for sustainable and ethical protein production. By decoupling meat production from the need for vast land use and intensive resource consumption, cultured meat presents a cleaner and safer alternative to conventional meat.

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