The Hagstrom Report says it’s rare for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, the Center for Food Safety, and the National Chicken Council to be on the same page.
However, all three groups are asking the USDA to clearly label meat and poultry products that contain lab-grown animal cells.
The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service is working to develop a regulatory structure for lab-grown meat.
NCBA says that the term “beef” should only be on products that come from livestock raised by farmers and ranchers.
The NCBA also did a study on consumer understanding of lab-grown meat which showed only 13% were aware of the products.
When asked to provide a definition after hearing several choices, only 10% of the respondents gave an accurate definition of the products.
The CFS says, “Synthetic products comprised of cultured animal cells must be clearly differentiated from slaughtered meat before they’re marketed.”
