A bill banning lab-grown meat passed the Oklahoma House of Representatives and is on the way to the Oklahoma Senate.
House Bill 2829 bans cell-cultivated meat from being manufactured, sold or distributed. It does allow universities and government entities to research the product. Cultivated meat is meat grown in a lab from animal cells.
If the measure becomes law, its violators could be found guilty of a misdemeanor. Food sellers could also have their State Department of Health license suspended or revoked.
Rep. Ty Burns, R-Morrison, is one of the bill's authors and said in a press release that he wants to keep the state’s food supply safe and transparent.
“Oklahoma has a proud agricultural heritage and this bill is about protecting our ranchers, farmers and consumers from an unregulated and potentially misleading industry," Burns said in a press release.
The bill passed the house in a 72 -18 vote after a debate. Legislators who spoke in favor of the measure voiced concerns over health, but lawmakers against the bill said it interferes with customers’ choices. Rep. Forrest Bennett, D - Oklahoma City, said the beef industry will remain strong.
“We want to pick winners and losers in this building,” Bennett said. “And in this case, the winner is the beef industry and the loser is an innovative new science that is trying to create non-meat alternatives for people who need that for their diets.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture approved two companies to make and sell the product in stores in 2023. Other states have enacted bans.
Burns said the measure is important for general health and welfare.
“This gets ahead of something that we need to get ahead of,” Burns said.
Copyright 2025 KOSU
