Key takeaways

Legislative momentum: Mississippi joins Florida and Alabama in banning cultivated meat, with penalties including fines and jail time.

Industry resistance: NAMI and startups challenge bans as anti-competitive, while FDA approvals signal regulatory progress.

Funding challenges: Sector investments plummeted 75% in 2023 amid skepticism, though key players secure partnerships.

Consumer sentiment: Safety concerns persist, but retail launches aim to normalise cell-based products.

National divide: Some states reject bans, highlighting disagreements over innovation vs. traditional agriculture.

Mississippi has become the third US state to prohibit the production and sale of cultivated meat after lawmakers unanimously approved HB 1006, a bill now awaiting Governor Tate Reeves’ signature.

The ban follows similar legislation in Florida and Alabama, intensifying a nationwide debate over the role of cell-based proteins in food systems.

The bill’s provisions and political backing

The bill, introduced by Republican representatives Bill Pigott and Lester Carpenter, passed the Mississippi House 116-0 (with four absentees) and cleared the Senate without opposition.

If enacted, violators face misdemeanor charges, including fines up to $500 or jail terms of up to three months. Retailers selling cultivated meat could also lose business licenses.

Key supporters include Agricultural Commissioner Andy Gispon, who framed the ban as a defense of traditional livestock farming. Gispon noted that "farmers and ranchers know more than anyone that their livelihood depends on the way they work their land and treat their livestock,” dismissing cultivated meat as a “science experiment”.

Industry pushback and legal challenges

Critics argue the legislation stifles innovation and consumer choice. The North American Meat Institute (NAMI), representing 95% of US meat producers, condemned similar bans as “bad public policy” in a 2024 letter to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, warning against precedents that could harm free markets.

Cultivated meat start-ups, already grappling with a 75% funding drop in 2023 and a 40% decline in 2024, face heightened uncertainty.

National context: A divided legislative landscape

While Mississippi’s bill advanced swiftly, other states have rejected similar measures. South Dakota’s HB 1109 and Wyoming’s HB 0168 failed in Senate votes, and Nebraska’s LB 246 faced farmer-led opposition over concerns about limiting competition.

Proponents of cultivated meat emphasise its potential to address climate and food security challenges. “Cell-based meats offer a sustainable alternative without compromising taste or affordability,” said a spokesperson for the Good Food Institute, a nonprofit advocating for alternative proteins.

The sector’s struggles reflect broader skepticism. A 2024 survey by the International Food Information Council found that 62% of US consumers remain wary of cultivated meat, citing safety and “unnatural” production methods.

Challenging convention

Companies like Mission Barns continue to innovate, partnering with Sprouts Farmers Market to launch cultivated bacon and meatballs later this year. The California-based start-up recently secured FDA approval for its cultivated pork fat products, signaling regulatory progress despite headwinds. Meahwhile, Upside Foods, which won federal clearance for cultivated chicken in 2023, is challenging Florida’s ban in court as unconstitutional.

Here’s a look at some of the innovative cultivated meat and seafood companies making waves in the US.

1. Mission Barns

Recent achievement:

• Secured FDA’s "no questions" letter in March 2025 for its cultivated pork fat, the first such approval since 2023.

• Partnered with Sprouts Farmers Market to launch bacon and meatballs blended with its cell-based fat – a retail first in the US – scheduled for Q3 2025.

Why it matters:

Mission Barns’ hybrid approach (combining plant-based proteins with cultivated fat) addresses cost and scalability barriers, targeting price parity with conventional meat.

2. Upside Foods

Recent achievement:

• Filed a federal lawsuit in February 2025 challenging Florida’s ban as unconstitutional, arguing it violates interstate commerce protections.

• Pursuing FDA clearance for a second cultivated chicken product optimised for foodservice partnerships.

Context:

Upside, which gained historic FDA approval for its chicken in 2023, remains a legal and technical trailblazer. Its Emeryville, California, facility can produce 50,000 pounds of meat annually, signaling industrial-scale potential.

3. Eat Just (Good Meat)

Recent achievement:

• Launched cultivated chicken nuggets in Singapore’s public schools in January 2025, leveraging its 2020 Singaporean regulatory win.

• Engaged in confidential talks with US retailers for a 2026 market re-entry if federal labeling disputes resolve.

Strategic shift:

With US state bans complicating domestic sales, Eat Just is prioritising Asia and Europe, where regulations are more favourable.

4. Wildtype

Recent achievement:

• Closed a $40m Series B round in November 2024 to scale production of its cultivated salmon, praised by chefs for its texture and flavour fidelity.

• Partnered with Pokéworks and Sweetgreen for limited pilot menu items in Los Angeles and NYC.

Differentiator:

Wildtype focuses on premium seafood alternatives, bypassing direct competition with beef and poultry bans.

5. BlueNalu

Recent achievement:

• Received USDA label approval in December 2024 for its cell-based yellowtail, marketed as 'crafted from bluefin tuna cells'.

• Collaborating with Sysco to supply cultivated seafood to high-end restaurants in Hawaii and California.

• Became first cell-based seafood company to join the US' National Fisheries Institute.

Market strategy:

BlueNalu emphasises species threatened by overfishing, aligning with sustainability trends.

While these companies innovate, broader hurdles persist

Funding: Sector investments fell to $200m in 2024, down from $800m in 2022 (GFI data).

Consumer perception: 58% of Americans remain skeptical of cultivated meat’s safety (IFIC 2024 survey).

Regulatory patchwork: Federal standards lag behind state-level bans, creating market fragmentation.

Looking ahead

Mississippi’s ban underscores the tension between agricultural preservation and technological disruption. As Governor Reeves – a longtime critic of alternative protein labeling – prepares to sign HB 1006, the cultivated meat industry faces a critical juncture. Legal battles, shifting investor sentiment, and evolving consumer attitudes will shape its trajectory in 2025 and beyond.