This spotlight article provides an overview of the regulatory landscape for cell-cultured meat in the United States, focusing on federal roles, recent state bans, and related legal challenges. It does not address product labeling.
Cell-cultured meat, also referred to as cultivated meat or lab-grown meat, is “developed in a lab, grown from a sample of animal cells that does not require the slaughter of animals.” The production of cell-cultured meat involves collecting a sample of animal cells, which are then stored safely in a cell bank. These cells are cultivated until they form muscle tissue and then harvested, and processed into food.
In 2019, Congress directed the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to clarify each agency’s role in regulating cell-cultured meat. Shortly thereafter, the agencies reached a formal agreement giving the FDA authority to issue regulations and inspection guidance for cell collection, cell lines, and differentiation to ensure producers follow safety and manufacturing standards so that cultured materials are safe and unadulterated. The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is responsible for enforcing sanitation standards, verifying Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) plans, and conducting inspections to ensure that final products are safe, properly labeled, and comply with the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA) and the Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA).
Cell-cultured meat is receiving growing attention for its potential to reduce the environmental impact of traditional meat production, improve animal welfare and food safety, and contribute to global food security through more sustainable production.
While the production of cell-cultured meat requires obtaining animal cells to begin the process, many consumers view it as a way to avoid the ethical concerns of traditional meat production, as it allows meat to be consumed without the slaughtering of animals. Consumers also support cell-cultured meat because traditional livestock farming necessitates large amounts of land, water, and feed while producing high greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. In contrast, cell-cultured meat has the potential to use fewer resources, produce less pollution, and help reduce deforestation.
Public health is another reason some consumers support cell-cultured meat. Unlike conventional livestock farming, some argue that the production process of cell-cultured meat can help minimize the use of antibiotics, growth hormones and other chemicals commonly found in conventional animal agriculture. Additionally, it can be designed to provide better nutritional value.
Conversely, some research indicates that large-scale production of cell-cultured meat may not be significantly more sustainable than traditional meat. Opponents argue that the environmental impact of scaling up production is still unknown, and early assumptions about lower emissions or resource use may not hold at commercial levels. Currently, cell-cultured meat remains expensive to produce, limiting both its affordability and competitiveness with conventional meat. The emergence of this technology may also carry economic consequences for traditional livestock farming, a concern that has sparked debates in various states.
States have addressed the sale and production of cell-cultured meat in one of three ways: (1) outright prohibition, (2) requiring specific labeling when the product is offered for sale, and (3) taking no legislative action to date. A growing number of states have enacted outright bans. These include Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Montana, Indiana, and Nebraska. Most recently, Texas joined the list on June 20, 2025, when Governor Greg Abbott signed into law SB 261. The legislation, which prohibits the sale and manufacturing of cell-cultured meat, is set to become effective on September 1, 2025.
In contrast to outright bans, some other states have chosen to regulate cell-cultured meat through labeling requirements. These measures have been adopted in Oklahoma, Colorado, Utah, South Dakota, and Iowa. The remaining states have not yet taken a position on the issue.
Interestingly, four of the top five beef-producing states have imposed some prohibitions on the sale and production of cell-cultured meat. According to the USDA, the top five states in beef cattle production are: (1) Texas, (2) Kansas, (3) Nebraska, (4) Iowa, and (5) Colorado. Only Kansas has not yet adopted any restrictions. Although Iowa did not ban cell-cultured meat, it imposed labeling requirements and did prohibit the sale of “cultivated protein” to schools.
As more states move to restrict or ban cell-cultured meat, these legislative actions are beginning to face legal challenges. One such challenge has emerged in Florida, where Upside Foods, Inc.—a pioneer in the development of cell-cultured meat—filed a lawsuit against the Florida Agriculture Commissioner, contesting the constitutionality of the state’s ban.
Upside Foods claimed that Florida’s law violates the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which holds that federal law preempts conflicting state laws. As explained in their complaint, the Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA) sets the rules for ingredients in poultry products and the USDA already approved the use of cultivated chicken cells, including in Upside’s products. The plaintiff argued that Florida created its own rules that conflict with the PPIA by banning these products solely due to the presence of cultivated cells. Additionally, Upside affirmed that the ban favors local agricultural interests and discriminates against out-of-state competitors, which violates the Dormant Commerce Clause. The bench trial is currently set for February 17, 2026.
Cell-cultured meat regulations are still evolving, with state bans and legal challenges shaping the debate, suggesting that the regulatory landscape will continue to develop significantly in the coming years. To stay informed on recent developments, see the Center’s Cell-Cultured Food Regulations Issue Tracker.
To print, see the PDF version of this document here: The Status of Cell Cultured Meat Regulations.
Contributing Authors Include:
Christina Fraser, Research Assistant
Chloe Marie, Research Specialist
References:
Cell-Cultivated Meat: An Overview, CRS Report R47697 (2023)
Sophie Hubalek, et al., Towards resource-efficient and cost-efficient cultured meat, Current Opinion in Food Science 47 (2022)
Rodriguez Escobar, et al., Analysis of the Cultured Meat Production System in Function of Its Environmental Footprint: Current Status, Gaps and Recommendations, Foods 2021, 10, 2941
Eileen McNamara & Claire Bomkamp, Cultivated meat as a tool for fighting antimicrobial resistance, Nature Food 3, 791-794 (2022)
Pei Ying Lim, et al., The nutritional paradigm of cultivated meat: Bridging science and sustainability, Trends in Food Science & Technology 156 (2025)
Derrick Risner, et al., Environmental Impacts of Cultured Meat: A Cradle-to-Gate Life Cycle Assessment, ACS Food Sci. Technol. 2025, 5, 61-74
Greg L. Garrison, et al., How much will large-scale production of cell-cultured meat cost? Journal of Agriculture and Food Research 10 (2022)
Bruno Dutra da Silva and Carlos Adam Conte-Junior, Perspectives on cultured meat in countries with economies dependent on animal production: A review of potential challenges and opportunities, Trends in Food Science & Technology 149 (2024)
Florida SB 1084 (May 1, 2024)
Alabama; SB 23 (May 7, 2024)
Mississippi; HB 1006 (March 12, 2025)
Montana; HB 401 (May 1, 2025)
Indiana; HB 1425 (May 6, 2025)
Nebraska; LB 246 (May 21, 2025)
Texas; SB 261 (June 20, 2025)
Oklahoma; HB 2829 (May 9, 2025)
Colorado; HB 1203 (April 17, 2025)
Utah; HB 0138 (March 19, 2025)
South Dakota; HB 1022 (February 11, 2025)
Iowa; SF 2391 (May 15, 2024)
Complaint (August 12, 2024); Upside Foods, Inc. v. Simpson, et al., USDC N.D. Florida, No. 4:24-cv-316
