Florida and Arizona Ban Lab-Grown Meat Amid Industry Optimism

Lab-grown meat, a revolutionary innovation in the food industry, has recently faced significant legislative pushback despite its potential benefits. Earlier this month, both Florida and Arizona enacted bans on the sale of cultivated meat and seafood, which are products grown from animal cells. This move comes even as lab-grown meat is not yet available in U.S. grocery stores or restaurants, creating a contentious atmosphere around the burgeoning industry.

Early Optimism for Lab-Grown Meat

The year 2023 began with high hopes for the lab-grown meat sector. In June, the U.S. approved the sale of lab-grown meat for the first time, allowing two California startups, Good Meat and Upside Foods, to sell cultivated chicken. This approval marked a significant milestone, with two high-end restaurants briefly adding these products to their menus. Companies in the industry began scaling up production, aiming to reduce costs and secure government approvals for wider distribution. For instance, one of Good Meat’s products even made it to a grocery store in Singapore.

Legislative Pushback

However, the initial excitement was soon met with resistance from lawmakers. In addition to Florida and Arizona, seven other states have introduced legislation aimed at banning cultivated meat, according to Kim Tyrrell, an associate director with the National Conference of State Legislatures. In Iowa, the governor signed a bill prohibiting schools from purchasing lab-grown meat. Federal lawmakers, including Democratic Sen. Jon Tester of Montana and Republican Mike Rounds of South Dakota, also introduced a bill to ban lab-grown meat from school lunch programs.

Global Resistance

The backlash against lab-grown meat isn’t confined to the United States. Italy banned the sale of lab-grown meat late last year, and French lawmakers have introduced similar legislation. This resistance is notable given that lab-grown meat products are still far from reaching the market in a meaningful way due to their high production costs. Cultivated meat is grown in steel tanks using cells from living animals, fertilized eggs, or storage banks. These cells are then fed special blends of water, sugar, fats, and vitamins to grow into meat products like cutlets and nuggets.

Industry Response

In response to the bans, companies within the lab-grown meat industry are exploring their legal options. Upside Foods launched a Change.org petition urging supporters to “tell politicians to stop policing your plate.” Tom Rossmeissl, the head of global marketing for Good Meat, expressed disappointment, stating, “It’s a shame they are closing the door before we even get out of the gate.”

Arguments for and Against Bans

Proponents of the bans argue that they are necessary to protect farmers and consumers. They cite concerns about the safety of cultivated meat, which has only been around for about a decade. “Alabamians want to know what they are eating, and we have no idea what is in this stuff or how it will affect us,” said Republican state Sen. Jack Williams, the sponsor of Alabama’s bill. On the other hand, industry advocates argue that their products must pass rigorous government safety tests before being sold and that their goal is not to replace traditional meat but to meet the growing global demand for protein.

Economic and Food Security Concerns

Rossmeissl pointed out that the U.S. is currently leading the global effort to develop lab-grown meat, with 45 companies in the space. However, this leadership could be jeopardized by restrictive legislation. For example, an Israeli company recently received preliminary approval to sell the world’s first steaks made from cultivated beef, and China is heavily investing in lab-grown meat technology. “It should be startling and concerning to Americans that we’re throwing up barriers to something that could be really important to our economy and food security,” Rossmeissl said.

National vs. State-Level Perspectives

While state-level bans are gaining traction, the national meat industry does not uniformly support these restrictions. Some major meat producers, like JBS Foods, are developing their own cultivated meat products. “We do not support the route of banning these outright,” said Sigrid Johannes, the director of government affairs for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. The Meat Institute, representing big players like JBS and Tyson, warned Alabama lawmakers that the state’s ban might be unconstitutional since federal law regulates meat processing and interstate commerce.

The Future of Lab-Grown Meat

Despite the challenges, the lab-grown meat industry remains hopeful. The founders of Wildtype, a San Francisco-based company making cultivated salmon, testified against the bans in Florida and Alabama but were unable to change the outcome. They hope for legal challenges to these bans but acknowledge that their small company cannot take on this battle alone. “We are David and on the other side of the aisle there is a gigantic Goliath,” said Wildtype co-founder Arye Elfenbein.

As the debate over lab-grown meat continues, it remains to be seen how these legislative actions will impact the industry’s growth and consumer choice. For now, the industry is focused on navigating these legal hurdles while continuing to innovate and scale up production.

Source: Fortune