Florida became the first state to outlaw lab-grown meat last week. But have any other states started their own bans with man-made beef?
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill that would outlaw the manufacture and distribution of lab-grown meat in the state, warning those to “take your fake lab-grown meat elsewhere … we’re not doing that in the state of Florida.”
What is lab-grown meat? How is it made?
Lab-grown meat is exactly what it sounds like — meat made in a laboratory. But that still doesn’t answer many questions.
Also referred to as “cultured meat” or “cultivated meat,” lab-grown meat is a meat alternative made from animal stem cells. According to the Good Food Institute, it uses the same cell types that can be arranged in the same or similar structure as animal tissues, thus replicating the sensory and nutritional profiles of conventional meat.
GCF Global further explains the cells are then placed in petri dishes with amino acids and carbohydrates to help the muscle cells multiply and grow. Once enough muscle fibers have grown, the result is a “meat that resembles ground beef,” or whatever meat you are trying to replicate.
But does it actually taste like meat? It depends. Reviews have ranged from AP’s “tender and chewy, like a well-cooked chicken thigh should be,” to Inverse’s “it tastes like chicken, to use an old cliché, but it doesn’t necessarily feel like chicken.”
USA Today reported the first cultivated beef was eaten in 2013, and the industry has since expanded to about 60 startups around the world focused on making the meat in 2023.
Why did Gov. DeSantis ban lab-grown meat? What to know about SB 1084
In a press conference, DeSantis shared he signed SB 1084 protect farmers and the “integrity of American agriculture.”
“Florida is fighting back against the global elite’s plan to force the world to eat meat grown in a petri dish or bugs to achieve their authoritarian goals,” DeSantis said. “Our administration will continue to focus on investing in our local farmers and ranchers, and we will save our beef.”
He made fun of The World Economic Forum, an international non-governmental organization in Switzerland that has advocated for insects as an alternative edible protein source instead of animal protein. DeSantis also targeted those who advocate for “fake meat” as a way to combat climate change.
“They will say that you can’t drive an internal combustion engine vehicle. They’ll say that agriculture is bad. Meanwhile, they’re flying to Davos in their private jets,” DeSantis said.
DeSantis says:‘Take your fake meat elsewhere’ and signs bill banning lab-grown meat.’
According to his press release, SB 1084 seeks to support the state’s agriculture and meat industry by:
- Modernizing Florida’s Right to Farm Act to protect reasonable agricultural activities from frivolous lawsuits.
- Signing legislation to ensure that agri-tourism operators qualify for protection against property tax assessments when operating on agricultural lands.
- Simplifying the steps for Florida Farmers to receive sales tax exemptions for agricultural materials.
- Reestablishing funding for the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program in 2022 at $300 million.
- Protecting through that program over 36,000 acres of farmland.
- Investing more than $2.8 billion into Florida’s agricultural industry in The Framework for Freedom Budget.
Have any other states banned lab-grown meat?
So far, it’s just Florida. Three states — Alabama, Arizona and Tennessee — have recently considered bills banning lab-grown meat:
- Alabama’s bill would “prohibit the manufacture, sale, or distribution of food products made from cultured animal cells.” The state House passed it April 30, but an amendment requires it goes back to the Senate before being sent to Gov. Kay Ivy, Food Safety magazine reported.
- In Arizona, two different bills passed the House – one banning lab-grown meat and another for tougher meat labeling – but neither made it out of the Senate, Food Safety News reported.
- Tennessee’s bill, which would ban the sale of cultured meat and impose fines of up to $1 million, was not considered by either house before the General Assembly session ended.
Why is lab-grown meat so controversial? See the pros and cons
Despite the Food and Drug Administration in 2022 declaring it safe to eat and the U.S. Department of Agriculture giving its approval in 2023, lab-grown meat still sees hesitation and disapproval by many.
Many meat-alternative companies and supporters believe lab-grown meat is a way to address the environmental and ethical concerns tied to traditional mass production of meat. Scientists have also highlighted lab-grown meat can reduce the risk of foodborne illness.
Additionally, Good Food Institute has also cited research published in The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment forecasting cultivated meat to eventually be nearly three times more efficient than conventional beef production, with the potential to reduce the carbon footprint by 92%, land use by 90%, and water use by 66%.
But others are not convinced, as it’s still a new product and its public health consequences are unknown.
There are several concerns that the taste of cultivated meat might not appeal to all consumers, which can become an issue to manufacturers. Critics who have already tried the products have noted how the taste isn’t exactly the same, which some claim is reasons enough to avoid it.
It’s also noted how expensive it is to make. Health and wellness website Dr. Axe highlighted the first lab-grown burger, created in 2013, cost nearly $400,000 to produce. Despite the technological advancements over the last decade, critics of lab-grown meat products say it will be out of reach for the average consumer for quite some time.
Where can I eat lab-grown meat in the United States? You can’t buy it even if you want to
Lab-grown meat is not currently being sold in U.S. grocery stores.
The Department of Agriculture cleared two companies, Upside Foods and GOOD Meat, to start manufacturing and selling lab-grown chicken products last year. However, the products still haven’t made their way to U.S. stores as of April 2024.
“Two cultivated chicken products have been approved for sale in the U.S., and the production volumes of these two products can only currently provide for limited offerings in select restaurants,” Elliot Swartz, the principal scientist for cultivated meat at the Good Food Institute, said.
WIRED reported in February that cultivated meat is no longer available in any restaurants in the country, with the small handful of restaurants that sold cultivated meat having paused or stopped sales.
Contributing reporting: Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today Network
