- Arizona state representatives have introduced two bills relating to the sale of cell-cultured meat in the state. HB2121 would prohibit the sale or production of cell-cultured animal products, and HB2244 would deem cell-cultured products labeled with traditional terms as misbranded.
- Rep. David Marshall and four co-sponsors introduced HB2121, titled “Cell-cultured animal product; prohibition.” This bill would impose civil penalties on any person who offers to sell, sells, or produces a cell-cultured animal product for human or animal consumption. In addition, it would create a cause of action for any person or organization “whose business is adversely affected by a violation” of the prohibition. Legislative findings in the bill focus on Arizona’s cattle ranching history and include:
- The regulation of cell-cultured animal products is a matter of statewide concern necessary to protect public health.
- This state’s cattle ranching industry is integral to this state’s history, culture, values and economy.
- Cattle is one of the five foundational pillars that have driven this state’s economy since territorial days.
- The production and sale of lab-grown, cell-cultured animal product threatens to harm this state’s trust land beneficiaries and the highest and best use of state trust land, which includes the lease of state lands to ranchers for livestock grazing to fund public schools and other public institutions.
- This act is necessary to protect this state’s sovereign interests, history, economy and food heritage.
- Rep. Huang Nguyen and eight co-sponsors introduced HB2244. Rather than outright banning cell-cultured animal products, this bill would prohibit the use of terms that are “the same or deceptively similar” to terms historically used on meat and poultry products or otherwise representing cell-cultured or synthetically derived products as a meat or poultry product. The bill is intended to prevent cell-cultured or synthetic animal products from being labeled in a way that “misrepresents or misbrands” the products.
- While FSIS and FDA have agreed to jointly regulate cell-cultured animal products in the United States, Italy has become the first country to ban cell-cultivated meat.
- Keller and Heckman will continue to monitor laws relating to cell-cultured animal products.
© 2025 Keller and Heckman LLP
National Law Review, Volume XIV, Number 16