States across the US continue to debate cultivated meat bans

USA – Efforts to prohibit cultivated meat are gaining momentum in several US states, but some of the latest proposals are facing opposition from both lawmakers and farmers.

Florida and Alabama have already enacted laws banning the production and sale of cultivated meat, with officials claiming the measures protect the cattle industry and public health. 

However, similar proposals in other states have struggled to gain enough support.

More than 20 states have introduced legislation to either restrict or completely outlaw cultivated meat, though many of these attempts have failed. 

In recent weeks, Nebraska and South Dakota saw their own proposed bans meet resistance, including from some unexpected voices within the farming community.

South Dakota Rejects Outright Ban

South Dakota legislators have been considering three separate bills related to cultivated meat since January. 

One of these, which requires clear labelling of cell-cultured proteins to avoid misrepresentation, passed without opposition and will take effect on July 1.

Another bill preventing state funding for cultivated meat research, production, or distribution was also approved and now awaits the governor’s signature. 

However, it includes an exception allowing public universities to continue researching these proteins.

A third proposal aimed at imposing a complete ban on the sale of cultivated meat in South Dakota failed in the Senate. 

The bill, which would have classified violations as a Class 2 misdemeanor, initially resulted in a 17-17 tie before being reconsidered the following day, when it was rejected by a 19-16 vote.

Nebraska Faces Pushback from Farmers

In Nebraska, Governor Jim Pillen has been pushing aggressively for a ban on cultivated meat. 

Last year, he issued an executive order restricting these products and made outlawing them a key priority for 2025.

Last month, Senator Barry DeKay introduced a bill that would prohibit the production and sale of cultivated meat while categorizing it as an “adulterated food product” under Nebraska’s Pure Food Act.

The bill is still under review by the Agriculture Committee, but it has already faced criticism, including from local ranchers. 

A Pattern of Failed Legislation

The Nebraska and South Dakota cases are part of a larger trend where similar bills have failed to gain traction. 

In Ohio, legislators introduced a bill last year to prohibit the sale of what they called “misbranded” alternative proteins, but it never moved forward.

Attempts in Kentucky, New York, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Texas, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Illinois have also stalled. 

Even Florida’s eventual ban only passed after an earlier proposal was rejected.

At the federal level, a bipartisan bill aiming to prohibit cultivated meat in school meal programs did not advance past the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

This year, new proposals have surfaced in states such as South Carolina, West Virginia, Montana, and Georgia. However, given the pattern of previous failures, their chances of success remain uncertain.

Meanwhile, Florida’s cultivated meat ban is already facing legal challenges. 

In March 2024, the North American Meat Institute, which represents 95% of the US meat industry, called the law bad policy and warned that similar measures could eventually harm those supporting them.

Sign up HERE to receive our email newsletters with the latest news and insights from Africa and around the world, and follow us on our WhatsApp channel for updates.