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Nebraska Ag Committee hears testimony on bill to ban lab-grown protein

Nebraska’s Senate Ag Committee heard testimony this week on legislation that would make it illegal to manufacture, sell or distribute lab-grown protein.  

Nebraska Department of Agriculture Director Sherry Vinton is supportive of LB 246.

“This legislation is necessary to protect consumers of real meat products from being misled by marketing of fake meat. The legislation is also necessary to preserve and safeguard traditional production agriculture,” she says.

Christopher Sukstorf, food safety inspector with the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE), spoke in opposition. He says changes to the FDA food code are done through the Conference for Food Protection, whose delegates suggest changes when it’s determined a food safety risk exists.

“Modifying the definition of adulterated food to include lab grown meat without evidence of risk, politicizes a code that should be founded in science. Banning the product outright stands in contrast to the open market system that so many Nebraskans respect,” he says.

Sukstorf spoke on an individual capacity and not on behalf of NDEE.

Craig Uden is president-elect of the Nebraska Cattlemen.

“Nebraska Cattlemen firmly believes cell cultured protein manufacturers should have the same labeling requirements as beef producers do. If those companies are not willing to meet the same requirements, then a ban would be necessary,” he says.

He says the organization doesn’t support an outright ban of any product.

A second bill under consideration by the Ag Committee, LB 658, would require accurate labeling of such products.