Court Decision Upholds Florida's Ban on Lab-Grown Meat

Earlier this week, a federal appeals court upheld Florida’s ban on lab-grown meat, which has been in place since 2024.

The Center for the Environment and Welfare said the decision is another setback for those working to overturn Florida’s ban on lab-grown protein.

“Lab-grown meat is an experimental product with many unknowns because there is a lack of long-term health studies,” said Will Coggin, research director at the Center. “Florida is joined by many other states that share concerns about petri dish protein, and it’s a sensible policy that keeps pace with consumer expectations.”

Lab-grown meat is produced by extracting animal cells and growing them in large metal vats known as bioreactors. While the federal government approved the sale of lab-grown meat in 2023, there’s still no research on the long-term health effects of consuming the products. To date, seven states beyond Florida have enacted legislation banning the product.

Source: NAFB