Nebraska Gov. signs executive order for lab-grown meat

WEST POINT, Neb. (KCAU)– Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen has signed an executive order against lab-grown meat to protect Nebraska producers.

Lab-grown meat, also known as cell-cultivated meat, is made by taking an animal’s stem cells and creating it in a controlled environment where it forms into a resemblance of meat. With his signing, Gov. Pillen had two issues he wanted addressed before lab-grown meat hits the shelves.

“Tightening up the rules and regulating from the Department of Agriculture to make sure that nothing in grocery stores is being mislabeled,” he said. “And then number two, just simply doing the executive order to make sure that nowhere in state government is there any procurement, is there going to be any fake meat served in any agency that is buying food.”

While in West Point, Nebraska, Pillen spoke to a crowd of people about why this executive order was necessary.

“This initiative is very, very important because it’s a hallmark attack against the heart and blood of what makes Nebraska great, our agricultural industry,” he said. “Feeding people in healthy forms, it’s gigantic and we have to be aggressive. We can’t stand back and let these bluebirds keep shooting and saying that what we’re doing is wrong.”

A restaurant in San Francisco, California and one in Washington, D.C. were given the green light to serve lab-grown chicken in 2023. No other lab-grown meat varieties have been approved for sale, including beef.

Even though finding cell-cultivated meat in your grocery store is likely decades away, several states have already banned lab-grown meat from being sold , including Florida and Alabama. An Iowa law prohibits schools from buying it.

The Tennessee legislature tried to ban the sale as well, but tabled the bill after concerns were raised about consumer choice.

Gov. Pillen was asked if this executive order restricts Nebraskans’ consumer choices.

“You’ve got to take stands,” Pillem said. “As I’ve said, if there’s a consumer in Nebraska that wants to buy fake meat, good for them. They just aren’t going to do it in Nebraska.”

Next legislative session, Gov. Pillen says he plans to continue to address lab-grown meat.

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