Wyoming and Montana consider banning lab-grown meat

Lawmakers in Montana and Wyoming are pushing to outlaw lab-grown meat, joining Alabama and Florida in banning the production and sale of cultivated meat products.

In Wyoming, House Bill 168, which prohibits “the manufacture, sale, and distribution of cultivated meat for human consumption,” has already passed the House and is awaiting a vote in the Senate. Meanwhile, Montana’s House Bill 401 remains under consideration but saw no opposition during a February 11 hearing.

HB 401 explicitly bans the manufacture, sale, and offering of lab-grown meat, defining it as meat produced from cultured muscle cells, fat cells, connective tissue, blood, or other biological components rather than from a slaughtered animal.

Individuals who knowingly violate the law could face misdemeanor charges, with penalties of up to 60 days in jail. Retail food establishments caught selling or distributing these products would be subject to disciplinary action under state food safety laws, with potential suspension of business licenses for repeated violations. Authorities would also have the power to issue immediate stop-sale orders on any non-compliant products.

Enforcement of the bans would fall under state health and agriculture departments, granting officials the authority to conduct inspections, seize illegal products, and arrest violators. Some proposed bills also amend state food labeling laws to ensure that only traditional meat products bear terms such as “hamburger” or “ground beef,” while any product derived from cultured animal cells must be explicitly labeled as such.

These legislative efforts come at a time when family ranchers are celebrating a legal victory over claims that the nation’s four largest meat packers conspired to suppress cattle prices. Notably, these same meat-packing giants are among the leading investors in lab-grown meat, fueling concerns among traditional livestock producers.

Supporters of the bans argue that cultivated meat threatens rural economies, traditional livestock industries, and consumer trust in natural food products. Opponents, including some food tech advocates, claim lab-grown meat could provide a sustainable protein source with lower environmental impact.

»Related: States begin to ban lab-grown meat. Now what?