Mississippi will become the third state to outlaw cultivated meat, following passage of a bill in both legislative houses last week and an apparent non-veto by the governor. Mississippi joins Florida and Alabama, which passed similar laws last year.
Beginning this July 1, it will be a misdemeanor to manufacture or sell any species of cultivated/cultured meat in the state. Penalties are a $500 fine, up to three months in prison or both.
The bill passed both state houses unanimously and, although the governor refused to sign the law, he did not veto it either, meaning it will become law. The state’s agriculture commissioner Andy Gipson has been a vocal critic of the cultivated meat sector.
On May 1 of last year, Florida became the first state to ban cultivated meat; Alabama followed suit that same month. The Florida ban, which went into effect July 1, 2024, is being challenged in court by cultured meat interests. Other state legislatures are debating similar bills.
About the Author
Dave Fusaro
Editor in Chief
Dave Fusaro has served as editor in chief of Food Processing magazine since 2003. Dave has 30 years experience in food & beverage industry journalism and has won several national ASBPE writing awards for his Food Processing stories. Dave has been interviewed on CNN, quoted in national newspapers and he authored a 200-page market research report on the milk industry. Formerly an award-winning newspaper reporter who specialized in business writing, he holds a BA in journalism from Marquette University. Prior to joining Food Processing, Dave was Editor-In-Chief of Dairy Foods and was Managing Editor of Prepared Foods.