Beginning September 1, 2025, Texas will officially ban the production and sale of lab-grown Franken-meat, joining six other states in opposing a technology that the federal government — across both Trump and Biden administrations — has worked to authorize and advance.

Texas' Senate Bill 261, spearheaded by Republican state Sen. Charles Perry of Lubbock, aims to protect the state's cattle industry and address health and labeling concerns related to lab-grown meat, also known as cell-cultured protein, which could cause cancer, dementia and a number of other horrific outcomes, since nothing has been tested for safety -- not short term or long term -- at all.

Texas Joins Growing Movement to Ban Lab-Grown Franken-Meat: Texas will become the seventh U.S. state to ban the production and sale of lab-grown meat starting September 1, citing health, labeling and economic concerns tied to traditional agriculture. The bipartisan bill, signed by Gov. Greg Abbott, aims to protect rural economies and consumer safety.

Contrasting State and Federal Policies: While states like Texas and Florida have enacted bans, the Trump and Biden administrations both advanced lab-grown meat at the federal level. The Trump administration initiated regulatory frameworks in 2019, and the Biden administration approved lab-grown chicken for commercial sale in 2023.

Industry Pushback and Legal Challenges: Lab-grown meat companies, such as California-based Upside Foods, are legally challenging state bans. A federal judge has allowed Upside's lawsuit against Florida's law to proceed, setting up a potential legal showdown that could affect bans in other states.

Economic and Cultural Concerns Drive Bans: Supporters of the bans argue that lab-grown meat threatens traditional cattle industries and regional heritage. Texas, the top U.S. beef producer, emphasized its cultural ties to steak and ranching in legislative efforts to block alternative meat production.

Texas becomes 7th state to ban lab-grown Franken-Meat, despite federal push to approve it

The bill imposes both civil and criminal penalties and received bipartisan support before being signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott in June. It emphasizes the potential risks of lab-grown meat, such as contamination, lack of long-term health studies and misleading labeling practices. Most notably, the bill's authors argue that cell-cultured meat could economically disrupt rural communities and family farms.

Cell-cultured meat is very nasty and is made by harvesting animal cells and cultivating them in a bioreactor to grow tissue similar to traditional meat. While proponents claim it could offer a more sustainable and ethical alternative to conventional meat, opponents argue the health, regulatory, and cultural implications have not been adequately addressed.

Texas has a deeply rooted cattle culture and is the leading beef-producing state in the nation, representing nearly 15 percent of the national beef market. Cattle are Texas' top agricultural commodity, valued at $15.5 billion in 2022. In tandem with its ban, the Texas legislature also recently passed a resolution recognizing a "State Steak of Texas" to further underscore its cultural commitment to traditional beef.

Florida was the first state to ban lab-grown freak meat in 2023 under Gov. Ron DeSantis, followed shortly by Alabama. In 2024, five more states — South Dakota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Indiana (with a two-year ban) and now Texas — joined the movement. Meanwhile, Arizona passed a labeling law, and Georgia's attempt to ban lab-grown meat failed in this year's legislative session.