Rhoden signs South Dakota lab-grown meat bill

Thirteen other states have proposed legislation regarding the labeling or banning of alternative proteins in the 2025 legislative session. Georgia, Nebraska, Idaho, Indiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oregon, South Carolina and Utah have introduced bills similar to South Dakota’s that require specific labeling on food products. For example, Georgia’s House Bill 163 would demand all food service establishments in the state that serve products containing cell cultured meat, plant based meat alternatives, or both, display on their menus, or on placards visible to the public, disclosures stating that such food products contain that type of protein.

When Nebraska introduced their legislation last month, Governor Jim Pillen and founder of Pillen Family Farms, one of the largest pork producers in the United States, stated bills like this are critical to preserving and protecting agriculture.

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“It's important we get on the offense so that Nebraska farmers and ranchers are not undermined," Pillen said. "Our job is to protect consumers, grow agriculture and defend agriculture. Most of us want government out of our hair, but there are places where government needs to step in and protect us.”

According to the National Agricultural Law Center, Colorado, Illinois, Oklahoma and Wyoming are the only states thus far that have proposed bills this session that would ban the sale, manufacture or distribution of cell-cultured meat.

During the 2024 legislative sessions, Alabama, Arizona, Florida and Tennessee considered statutes banning the manufacture, sale or distribution of cell-cultured meat. Only Florida and Alabama both successfully passed and signed bills into law.

Alabama's law states the manufacture, sale or distribution of food products produced from cultured animal cells a Class C misdemeanor. According to the bill’s fiscal note, civil penalties could range from $100 for a Class II violation up to $10,000 for a Class V violation for food sales establishments that violate the provisions of the bill. However, the bill does not prevent any federal institution of higher education, or a person that is partnered with a governmental entity or institution of higher education, from conducting research in Alabama regarding the production of cultivated food products.

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Alabama’s ban followed Florida’s legal precedent taken earlier last year. Governor Ron DeSantis signed SB 1084 into law, noting the action would "stop the World Economic Forum’s goal of forcing the world to eat lab-grown meat and insects, 'an overlooked source of protein.'” Instead, the state would be "increasing meat production and encouraging residents to continue to consume and enjoy 100% real Florida beef."

From a global perspective, the French Council of State recently overturned an attempt by the government to ban the use of meat-related terms on plant-based food labels. The council ruled that France cannot unilaterally impose such restrictions outside the framework of European Union law. In February 2024, the French government sought to prohibit 21 terms commonly associated with meat and seafood, such as “steak” and “sausage,” from being used on vegetarian products, arguing the move was necessary to prevent consumer confusion.