A federal judge has rejected the request of a California-based company for an injunction against the new law banning the sale and manufacturing of cultivated meat in Florida, according to a news source.
A 21-page decision denying the preliminary injunction motion was made on Friday, Oct. 11, by Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker, citing the “ban imposes an inconsistent ‘ingredient requirement’ by prohibiting the sale or distribution of food products that contain cultivated chicken meat as an ingredient.” He wrote UPSIDE Foods could not identify a law or regulation “that creates a federal ‘ingredient requirement’ with respect to ‘cultivated meat.’”
The law makes it a second-degree misdemeanor to sell or manufacture cultivated meat, often known as lab-grown meat, a. The manufacturing process includes taking a small number of cultured cells from animals and growing them in controlled settings to make food.
Florida made news in May for becoming the first state to ban the sale of lab grown meat.
Michigan farmer introduces cultivated meat ban legislation
In June Michigan lawmaker and state cattle association member Jim DeSana introduced legislation to ban lab-grown meat from being sold in Michigan. His legislation defines “cultivated meat” as “a meat or meat product that was produced from cultured animal tissue produced from in vitro animal cell cultures outside of the animal from which the cells were derived.”
“Eating real meat is healthy,” DeSana said.
DeSana, who is currently serving his first term as a lawmaker, decided to run for office after his son was prevented from competing on a rowing team during his senior year due to covid.
He also introduced a resolution to enshrine the right to hunt in Michigan’s constitution.
“This is about protecting our ranchers and about protecting the integrity of our food supply,” said DeSana, R-Carleton. “This is also about protecting your right to provide food for yourself and your family.”
Ohio legislation introduced to regulate imitation protein products
In Ohio, House Bill 661 was legislation introduced earlier this summer that regulates imitation meat and egg products. It was introduced by State Representative Roy Klopfenstein (R- Haviland) and State Representative Jack Daniels (R- New Franklin).
“Addressing this false perception that the manufactured protein products have begun to create in the agricultural industry will ensure that Ohioans can safely purchase agricultural food animal products without having to decipher a label,” Klopfenstein said in a release.
The measure will also prevent school boards from purchasing misbranded meat and egg products and alternatives to protect students.
“This bill will not only protect farmers from losing business to lab-grown, manufactured products, but it will also help customers not be misled by false advertising,” Daniels said.
The bill would classify imitation meat or egg products as “misbranded” if the label includes an “identifying meat term,” such as beef, wing or cold cut. A product would not be considered misbranded if it had a word such as imitation, fake or vegan in a uniform size directly by the meat term.
House Bill 661 awaits committee assignment.
Nebraska could become the next U.S. state to ban cultivated meat
In September, Nebraska’s Governor Jim Pillen signed an executive order to limit the sales of cultivated meat.
Pillen agreed to create “strict guidelines when it comes to state agencies and its contractors from obtaining lab-grown meat”, according to a statement.
He has also directed the Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) to initiate a rulemaking process to make sure that any lab-grown meat products sold in stores are “properly labelled” and are not marketed next to natural meat on the same shelves.
Iowa became the third state in the country to pass legislation regarding lab-grown meat
Beginning July 1, lab-grown meat and plant-based imitation meat and egg products had to be labeled with words such as fake, lab-grown, meatless, imitation or vegan, if sold in Iowa stores. The labeling requirements also apply to meat alternatives made with insect protein.
Alabama also passed a law banning the sale of the cell cultured alternative meat product in May 2024.
