More than 150 companies across the world sell cell cultivated meat, including 43 in the United States.
Alabama has become the second state in the nation to ban the sale of cultured meat. On Tuesday, Governor Kay Ivey signed SB23 into law, making the manufacture, sale or distribution of food products produced from cultured animal cells a Class C misdemeanor as of Oct. 1.
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 legislation 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.
Alabama’s ban follows Florida’s legal precedent taken earlier this month. Governor Ron DeSantis signed SB 1084 into law, noting the action is intended to "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 will be "increasing meat production, and encouraging residents to continue to consume and enjoy 100% real Florida beef."
The first lab-grown meat was created in 2013 by Mark Post of Maastricht University. The cultivated meat patty was made from more than 20,000 muscle tissue strands, cost more than $325,000, and took two years to produce.
Today more than 150 companies across the world sell cell cultivated meat, including 43 in the United States.
At least seven states have considered bills so far in 2024 to ban the sale, production or distribution of lab-grown meat, including Arizona, Iowa, Tennessee and Texas.
Globally, the Italian parliament has banned the technology from their country. The bill is similar to one proposed in France, and Austria and Croatia may soon follow suit.
