Sort & Cull

OMAHA (DTN) -- Nebraska on Thursday became the latest state to implement rules against lab-grown or cell-cultured meat products with Gov. Jim Pillen signing an executive order to restrict state agencies from buying such products.

It's a largely symbolic gesture at this point in the country's largest red-meat producing state because there are no lab-grown meat products being marketed nationally for distribution to schools or other institutions.

Standing at local beef shop in Nebraska's largest county for beef production, Pillen announced the state Department of Agriculture would initiate a rule to ensure any lab-grown meat sold in the stores "are properly labeled and are not marketed next to natural meat on the same shelves." Pillen, one of Nebraska's largest pork producers, also said he would ask state senators next year to pass a law banning lab-grown meat in the state.

"We're being proactive and making sure that silly things aren't happening, because they are happening on the Coasts," Pillen said, according to the Nebraska Examiner. "If we sit back and wait until the grocery stores are full, that's not the way we want to lead."

The governments of Florida and Alabama have banned the sale of lab-grown meat in their states while a new law went into effect in Iowa in July that will prevent cell-cultured products from being labeled as meat. In Iowa, the products must include labels such as "fake," "imitation," or "lab-grown." Iowa's law also blocks public institutions such as schools from buying such products.

"Nebraska consumers want to know and deserve to know that what they are purchasing is safe, wholesome meat and not a lab-grown product," said NDA Director Sherry Vinton. A public hearing has been scheduled for Oct. 8, on the draft regulations around labeling cell-cultured products.

Hannah Klitz, with her husband Eric, owns Oak Barn Beef, where Pillen signed his executive order. She said as a producer and retailer, she knows how important it is to educate consumers about where their food comes from. As fifth-generation cattle producers, Klitz said customers need transparency around the products they buy.

"Shoppers want to know that they are getting the best, naturally raised product available. That transparency is essential to maintaining our reputation in the marketplace and meeting consumer expectations," she said.

The FDA and USDA last year approved the first lab-grown chicken products for sale. So far, it's unclear where any lab-grown meat is being sold in the United States. Upside Foods and another company Good Meat sell their products at a few restaurants, but neither company right now appears to have products being sold at U.S. retail stores.

Earlier this month a California-based company that produces cell-cultured products, Upside Foods, filed a federal lawsuit against the Florida law. Upside Foods has developed a cultured chicken product made directly from animal cells. Upside argues the Florida law seeks to protect local meat producers from out-of-state competition.

Chris Clayton can be reached at Chris.Clayton@dtn.com

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