CITIZENS NEWS

Montana bans lab-grown meat to protect traditional ranching industry

By lauraharris // 2025-05-20

• Gov. Greg Gianforte signed House Bill 401 into law, banning the manufacture and sale of lab-grown meat in Montana starting October 1, 2025, to protect the state's ranching industry.
• Retailers that sell or produce cell-cultured meat could face license suspension, misdemeanor charges, fines and possible jail time.
• Both Gov. Gianforte and Rep. Braxton Mitchell emphasized the law's importance in defending Montana's agricultural economy and traditional beef industry.
• Montana joins other states like Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Indiana in enacting laws against the production or sale of cultivated meat.
• Indiana recently passed a similar law banning lab-grown meat until mid-2027, with plans to study its impact; non-compliant companies may face fines up to $10,000 per violation.

Gov. Greg Gianforte has signed into law a bill prohibiting the manufacture and sale of lab-grown meat in Montana to protect their ranching industry. House Bill 401, sponsored by Rep. Braxton Mitchell (R-Columbia Falls), bans the production and distribution of cell-cultured meat products in Montana. The bill defines these products as "the concept of meat, including but not limited to muscle cells, fat cells, connective tissue, blood and other components produced via cell culture, rather than from a whole slaughtered animal." The law which takes effect Oct. 1 and any retail food establishment that manufactures, sells or distributes cell-cultured products risks license suspension. Violators may also face misdemeanor charges, fines and potential imprisonment if convicted. "If you've ever had the pleasure of enjoying a cut of Montana beef, you know there is no substitute," Gianforte said. "By signing House Bill 401 into law, I am proud to defend our way of life and the hardworking Montana ranchers who produce the best beef in the world." Mitchell, who chairs the House Agriculture Committee, also echoed a similar statement. He praised Gianforte for signing HB 401 and argued that lab-grown meat only threatens the agricultural economy of Montana. "As Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee and someone whose family has been involved in Montana's meat processing industry for over 80 years, I'm proud Governor Gianforte signed House Bill 401 into law," Mitchell said. "Agriculture is our state's number one industry and this bill takes a clear stand to protect our ranchers and our food supply. We won't let synthetic products with misleading labels undercut the hard work of Montana's farm and ranch families."

Montana joins Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Indiana in pushing back against lab-grown meat

Montana follows similar bans in states like Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Indiana. These states push back against the promotion of lab-grown meat as a "Climate-Smart" alternative to conventional meat. (Related: Lab-grown meat now BANNED from being sold in Florida.) This May, Indiana Gov. Mike Braun also signed House Bill 1425 into law. The legislation, set to take effect on July 1 until June 30, 2027, bans the sale, production and labeling of lab-grown meat for two years. Defined in the bill as animal protein grown from stem cells in a laboratory setting, cultivated meat is engineered to replicate the texture, flavor and nutritional composition of conventionally sourced meat. Under the new law, cultivated meat products cannot be sold in Indiana unless they comply with strict labeling requirements, including a prominently displayed disclaimer identifying the product as an "imitation meat product." The state’s Board of Animal Health (BOAH) will oversee enforcement and establish guidelines on advertising, labeling and retail presentation. Companies that fail to comply could face fines of up to $10,000 per violation – one of the highest state-level penalties in the country for misbranding lab-grown meat. The moratorium is temporary, but state officials said they plan to use the intervening years to study the long-term impacts of lab-grown meat on public health, agriculture and consumer behavior. Whether Indiana will eventually embrace or permanently block the technology remains to be seen. Nebraska, which is currently considering similar legislative measures, is poised to become the next state to implement such a ban. Visit FoodSupply.news to read more stories like this. Watch the video below explaining how lab-grown meat is made. This video is from the TKWK T.V channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Florida bill BANNING lab-grown meat awaits Gov. DeSantis’ signature.

Lab-grown meat: Investors love it, but scientists question safety.

Globalist-backed lab-grown meat uses byproduct of cow slaughter.

What they don't want you to know about lab-grown meat.

Real meat for me, but not for thee: Globalists pushing lab-grown meat for the masses.

Sources include: ZeroHedge.com News.mt.gov Vegconomist.com Brighteon.com

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