Montana has officially banned the sale of lab-grown meat, joining a growing coalition of conservative states pushing back against what they view as globalist interference in food production. Governor Greg Gianforte signed the legislation this week, emphasizing protection for traditional ranchers and Montana’s agricultural heritage.
The new law defines “cell-cultured edible product” as lab-grown substances made from muscle, fat, and other animal tissues that are created without slaughtering animals. It prohibits the manufacture and sale of such products, which some see as an attack on local beef industries.
Montana is now the third state to enact a ban on lab-grown meat, following Florida and Alabama. Earlier this month, Indiana passed a two-year moratorium on such products. Nebraska lawmakers also just approved a bill banning lab-grown meat, and it awaits the governor’s signature. Tennessee and Arizona debated similar measures in 2023, but neither passed.
Governor Gianforte said he was “proud to defend our way of life and hardworking Montana ranchers who produce the best beef in the world.” Agriculture is Montana’s top industry, employing one in six residents. Beef, in particular, has long been central to the state’s economy and culture.
Supporters of the ban argue that synthetic meat threatens the livelihoods of American farmers and could open the door to untested food technologies promoted by global institutions. The World Economic Forum has endorsed alternative proteins such as lab-grown meat and insects, citing climate change. Critics say such efforts are out of step with American values and traditions.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis made national headlines in 2023 by tying the lab-grown meat agenda to broader globalist goals. “Florida is fighting back against the global elite’s plan to force the world to eat meat grown in a petri dish or bugs to achieve their authoritarian goals,” DeSantis said.
These laws represent a pushback against what red states see as a threat to food freedom and rural America’s future.
