Nebraska bolsters efforts to ban cultivated meat
Nebraska Sen. Barry DeKay introduces legislation to keep lab-grown meat from being manufactured, distributed or sold in Nebraska.
In September 2024, Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen signed an executive order creating strict guidelines when it comes to state agencies and their contractors obtaining lab-grown meat. He also directed the Nebraska Department of Agriculture to initiate a rulemaking process to make sure that any lab-grown meat products sold in stores are properly labeled and are not marketed next to natural meat on the same shelves.
Now into 2025, Nebraska Sen. Barry DeKay is introducing legislation to keep lab-grown meat from being manufactured, distributed or sold in Nebraska. The bill defines “cultivated food protein” and requires those products to be labeled “adulterated food products” under the Pure Food Act.
"There are clear, recognized benefits of meat as a source of protein. It is uncertain whether manufactured meat protein is a substitute for natural meat sources as essential dietary needs. I question elevating lab meat to a level of equivalency with real meat,“ said DeKay. “Until or unless there are clear labeling rules that adequately disclose that cultured meat is not real meat, its sale allows lab meats to unfairly benefit from industry investments in marketing and production. What’s more, this industry is supported by organizations that want to do away with animal production in Nebraska and the United States. This is part of the process that we’re going to go through to make sure our way of life, our livestock, and our product that we can put on the dinner table stays intact going forward."
Gov. Jim Pillen said, “It's important we get on the offense so that Nebraska farmers and ranchers are not undermined. 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.”
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