Alabama has recently joined Florida in banning the sale of cultivated meat, becoming the second US state to do so. Governor Kay Ivey signed the bill into law on May 7, making it illegal to manufacture, sell, or distribute cultivated meat in Alabama. Violating this law is considered a class C misdemeanor, which can result in a three-month jail sentence and a fine of $500.
This decision follows a similar move by the governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, who also signed a bill banning cultivated meat in his state earlier in May. These bans mean that approximately 28 million Americans now live in states where cultivated meat is prohibited. Despite only two companies having approval to sell cultivated meat in the US, it is currently not available in any restaurants.
The cultivation meat industry has expressed disappointment in these bans, with Pepin Andrew Tuma, legislative director at the Good Food Institute, criticizing the politicians for limiting consumer choice and stifling agricultural innovation. He argues that instead of creating jobs and supporting new initiatives, these states are focusing on unnecessary regulations.
The Alabama bill, proposed by Senator Jack Williams, easily passed through the state legislature and will go into effect in October 2024. Cultivated meat companies have voiced their opposition to the bans, asserting that the government should not dictate what people can eat and that this technology could ultimately lead to more sustainable and less cruel meat production. The bill does provide exceptions for research conducted by higher education institutes and government departments.
Justin Kolbeck, CEO of cultivated seafood firm Wildtype, highlights the importance of individual freedom in food choices and questions why Alabamans cannot have the option to consume cultivated meat while considering other food safety regulations being passed in the state.
