Florida’s Lab-Grown Meat Ban Sparks Legal Showdown with UPSIDE Foods
A battle is heating up in Florida over lab-grown meat. On November 7, California-based UPSIDE Foods took another swing at Florida’s recent law banning cultivated meat by filing an appeal.
Just last month, Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker denied UPSIDE Foods’ initial request to block the law. Now, the company aims to overturn that ruling, arguing the ban restricts innovation and goes against federal regulations.
Cultivated Meat Ban Faces Legal Pushback
In a world where cultivated meat—the kind made in labs from animal cells—is gaining ground, Florida is doubling down with resistance.
The state’s ban, signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis, forbids the sale and manufacturing of cultivated meat products, deeming it a second-degree misdemeanor.
To many, it may seem ironic: at a time when sustainable food sources are celebrated, Florida is shutting the door on lab-grown meat.
UPSIDE Foods, one of the industry leaders, has a mission that goes beyond business. It sees lab-grown meat as a way to bridge environmental gaps by reducing traditional meat production’s impact.
Represented by the Institute for Justice, UPSIDE Foods filed a lawsuit in August challenging Florida’s ban on constitutional grounds, claiming it unfairly clashes with federal law.
The suit argues that the “ban imposes an inconsistent ‘ingredient requirement’” that conflicts with the company’s FDA and USDA approvals.
Federal Approval vs. State Ban
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture gave UPSIDE Foods the green light to produce and sell cultivated chicken.
But Judge Walker’s October decision hinged on one crucial detail: no federal law specifically recognizes “cultivated meat.” Without that federal backing, the court couldn’t find solid grounds to grant UPSIDE Foods an injunction.
State officials, on the other hand, have expressed concerns over cultivated meat’s safety, despite federal approval. They argue it’s simply too new for comfort.
Emily V. Merchant, a Rutgers professor, remarked, “There are hurdles to making sustainability a priority for consumers.” And in Florida, that hurdle just got higher.
The Next Steps in an Ongoing Battle
As UPSIDE Foods heads to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, the stakes are high. For the industry, this case could set a precedent for how cultivated meat products fare across the U.S. as sustainability-minded companies watch, waiting for a verdict that may shape their future.
In the meantime, the question remains: is lab-grown meat the future, or will traditional laws keep it on ice in the Sunshine State? As this case plays out, it could change the landscape of alternative meat production in America.
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