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Transforming land use: Alternative proteins for U.S. climate and biodiversity success

The analysis by GFI and Highland Economics describes the land use efficiency and restoration opportunities of diversifying American protein sources with alternative proteins to help achieve U.S. climate and biodiversity goals.

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Alternative proteins enable large-scale land restoration with significant climate and biodiversity benefits

Our nation has ambitious land conservation targets and climate goals. We must reconnect and restore broad swaths of the American landscape to achieve those goals. We can achieve significant progress towards these goals by diversifying American protein sources to include land-efficient alternative proteins while reducing the proportion of protein derived from land-intensive, animal-based foods. 

This analysis shows that incorporating alternative proteins into the American food supply significantly reduces U.S. land requirements for food production enabling large-scale land restoration of U.S. habitats with significant climate and biodiversity opportunities. This shift in land use would position the United States to reach its environmental and climate goals while continuing to be a global leader in agriculture and land stewardship.

Key highlights of this report

This analysis explores the cropland use efficiency benefit and biodiversity and carbon sequestration restoration opportunities of a 50 percent shift toward alternative proteins in the American protein supply.

Check out some of the key findings below:

  • We can make the same amount of protein, with less cropland. Alternative proteins in the American protein supply would require 47.3 million fewer acres of cropland – an area approximately the size of South Dakota. 
  • Alternative proteins enable large-scale restoration of threatened U.S. ecosystems.  A shift to alternative proteins could enable restoration of cropland acreage in 139, or 64%, of the 216 U.S. ecosystems that are currently threatened.  
  • Alternative proteins create space to maximize carbon sequestration through the restoration of forests and riparian areas.  A shift toward alternative proteins has an annual carbon sequestration opportunity of 177.8 million metric tons of CO2e, greater than the CO2 emission of all U.S. domestic flights per year (FAA 2021). 
  • Restoration opportunities vary by region: The Midwest and the South have incredible biodiversity and carbon sequestration opportunities from relatively small shifts in land use. Check out the Regional Opportunities section in the report to learn more! 

Explore the supporting data

A graph showing the breakdown of different land uses in the contiguous united states, expressed as a percentage of acreage.
Figure 1. In the U.S., more than 50 percent of land is used for animal agriculture.
A graph showing the amount of land required per kilogram of protein production for beef, dairy, eggs, pork, poultry compared to alternative proteins.
Figure 3. Alternative proteins require 50-90 percent less land than animal proteins per kg of protein.
A graph showing the land use shift of feed crop and forage cropland from the current state in 2023 to a future state with a 50% shift to alternative proteins.
Figure 6. A 50 percent shift toward alt proteins would require 47.3 million fewer acres of cropland (13.4 million acres of feed crop and 34 million acres of forage).
A graph showing the breakdown of feed and forage cropland acres prioritized for restoration under the biodiversity scenario, separated by vegetation type and threat status. Across all crop types, 60 percent of the 47. 3 million acres could be restored to ecosystems that are currently critically endangered or endangered and 25 percent in vulnerable ecosystems. The vegetation types of all potentially restored ecosystems are 49 percent forest, 39 percent grassland or shrubland, and 12 percent is wetlands or riparian areas.
Figure 7. A 50 percent shift toward alternative proteins enables restoration of cropland acreage in 64 percent of currently threatened U.S. ecosystems, including grassland/shrubland, forests, and wetlands.
A sankey diagram showing the allocation of the feed crop and forage cropland restoration opportunity by region under the biodiversity strategy.
Figure 8b. The South and the Midwest have the greatest restoration benefits in this analysis because they are home to a significant percentage of the U.S. feed crop and forage cropland with a high number of currently threatened ecosystems.
A graph showing the total modeled metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent sequestration per year by crop type, region, and vegetation type with restoration of the 47. 3 millions acres of feed crop and forage cropland, under the carbon sequestration scenario. Forests are the predominant vegetation type prioritized for restoration followed by wetlands. Restoration of feed cropland provides 31 percent of the modeled sequestration opportunity, while alfalfa and other hay combine for 47 percent of the sequestration opportunity, and restoration of cropland used for pasture accounts for the remaining 21 percent.
Figure 12. Restored natural areas on croplands made available from a 50 percent shift to alternative proteins could sequester 177.8 million metric tons of CO2e annually, primarily through the restoration of forests and riparian/wetland areas.
A graph showing the total metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent sequestration per year and acres prioritized for restoration by region and vegetation type under the carbon sequestration scenario.
Figure 14. The South and Midwest have particularly high carbon sequestration opportunities due to their high density of feed crop and forage cropland that could be restored to historic forest ecosystems.
Image showing snapshots of the regional opportunities case studies within the report.
Interested in regional differences in cropland restoration opportunities? Check out the South, Midwest, West, and Northeast snapshots in the report!
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Discover the key results of this analysis showing how diversifying the United States’ protein sources with alternative proteins can enhance land use efficiency and enable climate and biodiversity opportunities through land restoration.

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Transforming land use: alternative proteins for u. S. Climate and biodiversity success co-authored by the good food institute and highland economics

 

Have a question about this report?

Priera Panescu Scott, Ph.D.

Lead Plant-based Scientist

Priera’s role at GFI focuses on accelerating the plant-based meat industry through analyzing their plant-based protein landscape, identifying emerging technological solutions and bottlenecks, and communicating with other scientists about advancing alternative protein research. Priera has bachelor’s degrees in chemistry and math from the University of California, Santa Cruz as well as a master’s and a doctorate in organic chemistry from the University of California, Los Angeles. Prior to joining GFI, Priera spent almost a decade focusing on polymer, formulation, and materials chemistry research. Particularly, she honed these skills for food security applications by creating novel sustainable agriculture materials and compounds.

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Priera panescu, ph. D.

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Co-authored by

Highland economics

Highland Economics

Highland Economics is a small, woman-owned firm specializing in the economics of natural resources and the environment, business planning, and feasibility assessment, and the socioeconomic impact of industries, policies, or management actions. We are a team of five economists, based in Oregon and Montana. We work with nonprofits, agricultural interests, tribes, water districts, private companies, and local, state, and federal agencies on a wide range of land, air, water, recreation, agriculture, and habitat issues. This study was led by principal and senior economist Barbara Wyse, who has nearly 20 years of experience analyzing resource management issues related to agriculture, land use, water resources, habitat, energy, and ecosystem services. We aim to provide rigorous, even-handed analysis that uses economic insights to transform complex data into clear and actionable information.

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