South Dakota could become the eighth state to restrict lab-grown meat under legislation introduced this week by a farmer-lawmaker who says the technology needs more scrutiny before reaching consumers.
House Bill 1057, introduced Wednesday by state Rep. John Sjaarda, a Republican and South Dakota farmer, would prohibit the manufacture, sale, and distribution of lab-grown, cell-cultured meat products in the state for the next 10 years. The bill would also allow the state to remove any prohibited products from store shelves.
Supporters frame the proposal as a pause rather than a permanent ban, giving regulators and researchers time to better understand the long-term health, environmental, and economic implications of lab-grown protein.
“There are no long-term health studies on lab-grown meat,” said Will Coggin, research director for the Center for the Environment and Welfare, a consumer watchdog organization that has tracked the industry since 2023. “South Dakota lawmakers are approaching this technology with understandable skepticism as they learn more about how these products are made.”
HB1057 builds on recent actions signaling South Dakota’s cautious stance toward cultivated meat. Last year, Gov. Larry Rhoden signed legislation requiring clear labeling of lab-grown meat products and prohibiting state funds from being used to support or subsidize companies producing them.
If enacted, the bill would align South Dakota with neighboring states such as Nebraska and Montana, which have already passed bans or moratoriums on lab-grown meat. Texas recently became the seventh state to enact a restriction, barring sales of cell-cultured protein until 2027.
The debate over cultivated meat has intensified nationwide as companies seek regulatory approval and commercial expansion. Proponents argue the products could reduce environmental impacts and address future protein demand, while critics question their safety, sustainability claims, and transparency.
Opponents frequently point to a University of California, Davis study suggesting that lab-grown meat could have up to 25 times the environmental impact of conventionally raised meat, challenging claims that the technology is inherently more climate-friendly.
Beyond environmental concerns, some agricultural groups view state-level bans as a way to protect traditional livestock production and maintain consumer trust in food systems rooted in established farming practices.
