Legislators Quell Cell-Cultivated Competition to Livestock

In May, Florida became the first US state to ban the sale and manufacture for sale of “cell-cultivated” meat (aka “lab-grown” meat; see AWI Quarterly, fall 2023). Shortly after, Alabama followed suit by enacting its own ban on what proponents of the innovative product believe is the first cruelty-free meat option for consumers. 

Since then, legislation has been introduced in a number of other states that would bar access to cell-cultivated meat or set strict labeling requirements under the guise of preventing consumer confusion. Such legislative efforts are particularly prevalent in livestock-producing heavyweights such as Iowa, Nebraska, and Pennsylvania, strongly suggesting that the actual motive behind these bills is to cripple the competition rather than clear confusion. Another cell-cultivation setback occurred in October, when a federal judge denied a request for an injunction against Florida’s ban, allowing it to remain in effect as litigation on the issue moves forward.

Program Terms: Farmed Animals

AWI Quarterly Terms: Government/Legal