Last week, the Alabama Senate passed a bill that would ban the sale and manufacture of products that resemble fake meat, which are made by growing cells in a laboratory.

SB23 is sponsored by Alabama Sen. Jack Williams (R-Wilmar), who chairs the Senate Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee. The bill would ban and impose criminal penalties on anyone who sells, manufactures, or distributes artificial meat in Alabama.

“I nicknamed this bill 'Frankenstein Meat' because of the way it was prepared,” said Senator Williams. “This bill would prohibit the manufacture, sale, and distribution of food products produced from cultured animal cells within the state.”

This bill has broad bipartisan support. Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton (D-Greensboro) seconded Williams' motion for final passage of the bill in the Senate.

The bill passed the Alabama Senate unanimously 32-0. The bill now goes to the Alabama House of Representatives for consideration.

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Fake meat is high on the agenda for the National Cattle and Beef Association (NCBA).the group said in a statement “NCBA is leading efforts in Washington to ensure that fake meat, both current plant-based products and products that may be produced in labs in the future, is properly marketed and regulated. First, we are asking the Department of Agriculture to work with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to enforce existing labeling laws for plant-based protein products.”

“The FDA has the authority to take action against products that use misleading labels to confuse consumers about the true nature of the product. Unfortunately, the FDA has lax enforcement on food labeling issues. Second, we are calling on the Department of Agriculture to assert regulatory jurisdiction over lab-grown fake meat products.

“Currently, no framework exists to regulate these new products, but the agency best placed to ensure both fair and accurate labeling for consumers and the safety of lab-grown products is the USDA. The NCBA recently submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Agriculture outlining our principles regarding fake meat, and we remain committed to continuing to do so as the Washington government determines how to regulate new products introduced to the market. I will take the lead in this effort.”

SB23 does not change the law at all for plant-based meat substitutes like Burger King's Impossible Whopper.

Penalties for violating this law can include civil penalties of up to $100 for a Class II violation and $10,000 for a Class V violation.

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