SAN FRANCISCO — The Plant Based Foods Institute, a sister non-profit organization to the Plant Based Foods Association, has launched.

While the PBFA focuses on strengthening the US plant-based foods industry through policy and marketplace-based initiatives to expand access to plant-based foods, the PBFI will look to shift government and marketplace policies, agricultural practices, and demand toward a regenerative plant-based food system.

A domestic sourcing initiative within the PBFI will connect plant-based food companies with domestic supply network partners, including farmers, processors, ingredient suppliers and manufacturers. The PBFI will seek to influence US policy in areas such as the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the farm bill. Another goal is to develop life cycle assessments to demonstrate the environmental benefits of plant-based foods. The PBFI will seek to increase the availability of plant-based foods in institutional and commercial foodservice settings like schools and hospitals.

“Through the work of PBFA and the Institute, our goal is to create a world where values and business interests harmonize to create a plant-based food system that respects the dignity and health of all living beings and the planet,” said Rachel Dreskin, chief executive officer of the PBFA and the PBFI. “Driven by the urgent need for change, enthusiasm for advancing the plant-based foods movement can be felt across the globe.”