Nebraska Farm Bureau recently testified at a rulemaking hearing with the Nebraska Department of Agriculture ...

Nebraska Farm Bureau recently testified at a rulemaking hearing with the Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) regarding its proposed rules and regulations for Manufactured-Protein Food Products, also known as lab-grown meat.

Nebraska Farm Bureau testified in support of the proposed regulation which establishes definitions and standards for determining when manufactured protein food is misbranded or being falsely advertised.

In its testimony, Nebraska Farm Bureau stated that Farm Bureau policy on lab-produced protein is quite clear. We support the restriction of plant-based and lab-produced protein makers from using the word "meat" or other commonly used "meat" terms in describing their products. These terms should be reserved for protein traditionally harvested from livestock, poultry, fish, or wild game. In the absence of federal regulations, we would support state-level legislation on the labeling of plant-based and lab-produced protein products as described above. We support the regulation of animal protein labeling which would disclose the way that protein was produced, i.e., conventional vs. lab grown.

The proposal would require any meat-like products made from animal cells, plants, or insects must be labeled as imitations and kept apart from regular meat in stores. Additionally, NDA will retain regulatory authority to investigate all credible complaints that food products are misbranded or being falsely advertised as meat products throughout the state.

Nebraska Farm Bureau supports this proposed rule because it is much in line with our policy.