A federal judge has dealt a blow to the burgeoning lab-grown meat industry in Florida. Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker denied a request by California-based UPSIDE Foods, Inc. to block a new state law that bans the sale and manufacturing of “cultivated” meat.
The law, championed by Governor Ron DeSantis and passed earlier this year, makes it a misdemeanor to sell or manufacture meat grown from animal cells in a laboratory setting. UPSIDE Foods, which produces cultivated chicken, argued that the ban is unconstitutional and conflicts with federal regulations on poultry products.
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However, Judge Walker ruled against the company, stating that they failed to demonstrate a direct conflict between the state law and any existing federal “ingredient requirement” for cultivated meat.
Despite this setback, the lawsuit filed by UPSIDE Foods, represented by the Institute for Justice, is still ongoing. The company maintains that the ban is unlawful and will continue to fight for the right to sell its products in Florida.
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This decision represents a victory for state officials who have raised concerns about the safety and regulation of cultivated meat, despite approvals from the FDA and USDA for UPSIDE Foods’ production methods.
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