LINCOLN, NEB. — Nebraska elected officials recently moved forward with legislation that looks to stop cultivated or lab-grown meat from being manufactured, distributed or sold in Nebraska. 

Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen and State Senator Barry DeKay are leading the push for this bill. Pillen previously signed an executive order restricting cultivated meat in August 2024.

“It’s important we get on the offense so that Nebraska farmers and ranchers are not undermined,” Pillen said on cultivated meat. “Our job is to protect consumers, grow agriculture and defend agriculture. Most of us want government out of our hair, but there are places where government needs to step in and protect us.” 

The bill was co-sponsored by seven other state senators.

“There are clear, recognized benefits of meat as a source of protein,” said Senator DeKay. “It is uncertain whether manufactured meat protein is a substitute for natural meat sources as essential dietary needs. I question elevating lab meat to a level of equivalency with real meat. Until or unless there are clear labeling rules that adequately disclose that cultured meat is not real meat, its sale allows lab meats to unfairly benefit from industry investments in marketing and production. What’s more, this industry is supported by organizations that want to do away with animal production in Nebraska and the United States. This is part of the process that we’re going to go through to make sure our way of life, our livestock, and our product that we can put on the dinner table stays intact going forward.”

Parties in violation of the law, if passed, could be prosecuted under the Nebraska Pure Food Act or the Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act.