South Dakota legislators are advancing a bill requiring lab-grown meat to be labeled.
House Bill 1022 aims to prohibit misbranding of any cell-cultured protein product.
The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee discussed the proposed bill Tuesday and were met with more supporters than opponents.
Proponents said the bill is needed for clear labeling of cell-cultured or lab-grown meat in the state.
Jeremiah Murphy is a lobbyist for the South Dakota Stockgrowers Association. He explained the need for the bill.
“That’s what we’re asking for, is clarity. Truth in advertising, and it’s critical. As the secretary mentioned, we don’t want to happen to us what happened to milk when vegetable juices were somehow deemed to be milk. This is our opportunity to draw a much brighter line. The bill we had in 2019 was as good as it gets for it’s time, but it talked about it must come from the carcass. As these cellular products, there can be some confusion. Did that originally come from a carcass? This bill settles that confusion. No, if its cell processed this says you have to make that clear on the front of the package. Truth in advertising,” said Murphy.
The USDA first granted approval for companies to sell lab-grown meat in 2023.
Julie Auch is a Republic Representative for Clay and Yankton counties. She explained the lab-grown process.
“How they can even call this meat, the only reason they can is because they do use meat as basically a growth seed for it. Thirteen essential ammino acids, glucose, six inorganic salts, which is another name for chemicals, and eight water-soluble vitamins and blood serum, is how this meat is actually produced. For those of you who think it sounds appetizing. So, just keeping eating our steaks that actually come from real cows and bulls,” said Auch.
Erin Clayton is a Senior Scientific Research Advisor for the Good Food Institute. She said due to lack of producers it may be years before lab-grown meat is at the level of mass production.
No opponents spoke against the bill. The committee voted unanimously in favor of the bill, which places is on the consent calendar when it reaches the House floor.
