Warren Davidson, a Republican Party member and US representative for Ohio, has introduced the Real Meat Act of 2024.

The Real Meat Act prohibits using federal funds for any activity related to cell-based meat, including research, production, promotion and advertisement.

Davidson said: “Fake cell-cultured meat not only poses a health risk to the human body, but it also threatens the livelihoods of America’s hard-working ranchers, livestock farmers and butchers. Recently, laws prohibiting lab-grown meat have been passed in states like Florida and Alabama. Congress must act to ensure US taxpayers are not footing the bill for this inferior, experimental product."

If passed, the legislation would prohibit federal funding from going towards the research and advancement of cell-cultured meat technology, the promotion or advertisement of cell-cultured meat products, the production of cell-cultured meat and the purchase of cell-cultured meat for federal nutrition programmes, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

The news comes after various US states have passed, or are attempting to pass, laws banning the production and consumption of cultured meat. In May this year, Florida and Alabama become first US states to ban cell-based meat.

Additionally, a recent announcement from the US Department of Defense (DoD) has faced similar backlash. The DoD announced plans earlier this month to provide $17.5 million in funding for the research and development of alt-proteins that can ‘provide novel protein sources to support warfighter nutritional needs’ and ‘enable new capabilities for food systems to support the future force.’

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) issued a statement condemning the research grant. NCBA's VP of government affairs, Ethan Lane, said: “American troops deserve to be served that same wholesome, natural meat and not ultra-processed, lab-grown protein that is cooked up in a chemical-filled bioreactor”.

It is important to recognise that such opposition often stems from agribusiness interests seeking to protect their own market share. The portrayal of traditional meat as the epitome of safety and wholesomeness ignores the mounting evidence of its environmental impact and the ethical concerns surrounding industrial livestock farming.

Cell-cultured protein offers a promising avenue for sustainable and ethical protein production. By decoupling meat production from the need for vast land use and intensive resource consumption, cultured meat presents a cleaner and safer alternative to conventional meat.

Top image: © Ohio State

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