UPSIDE Foods Wins First-Round Victory in Court After Challenging Florida Cultivated Meat Ban
After filing a lawsuit against Florida’s cultivated meat ban in August of last year, UPSIDE Foods has been granted an important first-round victory by Chief Judge Mark Walker of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida. The ruling denies an attempt by the government to dismiss the legal challenge, meaning the case will progress in the trial court. UPSIDE’s lawsuit alleges that Florida’s cultivated meat ban violates …
Mississippi Becomes Third State to Ban Lab-Grown Meat, Following Florida and Alabama
Mississippi has become the third state in the United States to enact a law prohibiting the manufacturing, sale, or distribution of cultivated meat. Governor Tate Reeves declined to sign House Bill 1006, which effectively bans lab-grown meat in the state, but because he did not veto it, the bill will still become law. The bill, passed unanimously by both the Mississippi House of Representatives and Senate, will become law on …
New Chinese Government Documents Indicate Support for Alternative Proteins & Novel Foods
Two new documents released ahead of the Chinese government’s annual Two Sessions Summit have raised hopes of increased support for alternative proteins in the country. As reported by GFI APAC, the first document is an official notice from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs outlining “Key Areas of National Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation” for 2024-2028. It identifies agricultural processing and food manufacturing as a priority, including research into …
Georgia Bill Seeks to Restrict Meat Labeling for Plant-Based and Cultivated Products
A bill introduced in the Georgia House of Representatives aims to impose new labeling requirements on plant-based and cell-cultured meat products in the state’s food service industry. House Bill 163, sponsored by Republican Representative Jordan Ridley, would require restaurants and other food vendors to disclose whether their food contains cell-cultured meat, plant-based alternatives, or both. The proposed law would amend Article 13 of Chapter 2 of Title 26 of the …
South Dakota Becomes Latest US State to Propose a Cultivated Meat Ban
A legislative committee in South Dakota has put forward a bill that would ban the manufacture, sale, and distribution of cultivated meat in the state. As reported by South Dakota Searchlight, the bill has already gained the approval of the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee with an 8-5 vote. Furthermore, another bill that would restrict state spending on cultivated meat has gained unanimous approval. However, more steps are required …
South Dakota and South Carolina Advance Bills Mandating Clear Labeling of Cultivated Meat
Lawmakers in South Dakota and South Carolina have advanced bills requiring cultivated meat products to be clearly labeled, reflecting the growing interest in transparency for consumers navigating alternative proteins. South Dakota on defining “cell-cultured protein” Last week, South Dakota’s House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee unanimously approved House Bill 1022, which would mandate labeling for lab-grown meat products, defined as “cell-cultured protein.” The bill, proposed by the state Department of …
Nebraska Moves to Ban Cultivated Meat, Calling It “Unproven” and “Adulterated”
Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen, in collaboration with state senators, has announced the introduction of three new bills aimed at bolstering traditional agriculture in the state. Among these is Legislative Bill 246 (LB246), which seeks to ban the manufacture, sale, and distribution of cultivated meat products in Nebraska. Governor Pillen stated during a press conference, “As the first farmer-governor in more than 100 years, I know how important it is that …
EU Commission Deems Hungary’s Proposed Cultivated Meat Ban ‘Unjustified'”
Following the TRIS assessment, the European Commission has deemed the Hungarian ban on cultured meat “unjustified” and potentially harmful to the European single market, reports the Good Food Institute. According to the Commission, the ban could disrupt the harmonized authorization procedure for novel foods at the EU level, which involves scientific evaluation by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The Commission and some Member States also highlighted that Hungary had …
Massachusetts Backs Tufts University With $2.1M for New Cell Ag Center While Nebraska Pushes for Beef Protection
The Healey-Driscoll administration and the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MassTech) have awarded $2,136,711 to the Tufts University Center for Cellular Agriculture (TUCCA) to establish the Foodtech Engineering for Alternative Sustainable Technologies (FEAST) center. FEAST aims to advance cellular agriculture research at Tufts, with a specific focus on cultivated meat and other cell-based products. The center will include cutting-edge equipment and a test kitchen, providing infrastructure for prototyping and evaluating cellular agriculture products. …
UK Invests £1.6 Million in Europe’s First Regulatory Sandbox to Fast-Track Cultivated Meat Approvals
The UK government’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has announced £1.6 million in funding for a regulatory “sandbox” within the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Food Standards Scotland (FSS), specifically for cultivated meat and seafood. Claimed as Europe’s first, the sandbox aims to accelerate the authorization process for these novel proteins. Cultivated meat must undergo a comprehensive food safety assessment in alignment with the UK’s existing regulatory framework …