6 U.S. States Just Banned Lab-Grown Meat Amid Health and Safety Fears
Nebraska just became the sixth U.S. state to ban lab-grown meat. On Tuesday, Governor Jim Pillen signed a law called LB246. This law makes it illegal to make, sell, advertise, or distribute lab-grown meat in Nebraska. Senator Barry DeKay introduced the bill for Gov. Pillen.
“When I stood in front of a group of producers and ag business owners yesterday and announced my intention to sign this legislation, I was met with applause,” said Gov. Pillen. “We need to be willing to protect and preserve our state’s vital ag industry as well as our consumers. These products are grown from harvested cells in bioreactor machines. The health consequences are unknown and so are the long-term effects to consumers.”
Gov. Pillen also mentioned that this new law adds to his earlier Executive Order 24-09. That order says Nebraska state agencies can’t buy lab-grown meat and that state contractors must promise not to treat real meat producers unfairly.
Last month, Montana passed a similar law (HB401), banning the making and selling of lab-grown meat. Indiana didn’t ban it completely but passed a temporary hold. Starting July 1, 2025, Indiana won’t allow lab-grown meat until June 30, 2027. After that, any lab-grown meat must have a label saying, “this is an imitation meat product.”
Now Nebraska, Montana, and Indiana are joining Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida in making laws against lab-grown meat. But Florida is being sued. UPSIDE Foods, a company from California that makes lab-grown chicken, says Florida’s 2024 law is unfair. The company argues that Florida’s ban breaks the U.S. Constitution because it protects in-state farmers from competition and goes against federal rules on meat sales across state lines.
A judge said the lawsuit can move forward. The judge ruled that UPSIDE “plausibly alleged that Florida’s ban violates the dormant Commerce Clause because it discriminates in effect against interstate commerce” and now Florida must prove “the ban serves a legitimate local purpose,” and that “purpose could not be served by available nondiscriminatory means.”
Some people say lab-grown meat is better for the environment, but the Center for the Environment and Welfare disagrees. They point to a study from UC Davis that says making lab meat with purified ingredients can be much worse for the environment than regular beef.
“Lab-grown meat will continue to face pushback as people learn more about how it is manufactured,” said Jack Hubbard, executive director of CEW. “Consumers and lawmakers are understandably concerned about the lack of long-term health studies and use of immortal cells, so we expect the bipartisan opposition to lab-grown meat bans to keep picking up steam.”
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