Alternative meat bill moves forward
BY ALYSSA MEIER
Editor
A bill mandating lab-grown meat in North Dakota be labeled clearly will move to a second reading after being unanimously amended on Tuesday.
North Dakota House Bill 1400 was cleaned up a little on Tuesday afternoon, as the agriculture committee of the legislature unanimously approved an amendment to the legislation. The bill forbids any alternative meat products, or “cell cultured protein” from being misrepresented as meat sourced from an animal.
According to the amended version of the bill, alternative meat products “may not be packaged in the same, or deceptively similar, packaging as meat food … and must be labeled as a cell cultured food product.” The bill covers advertising, offering for sale and selling of the products.
The bill will move to a second reading, though no date had been set as of Tuesday afternoon.
Washburn rancher Jay Reiser, of Reiser Ranch, said he felt the legislation was a positive step forward.
“The bill will provide support and clarity for livestock growers in the state and for consumers,” Reiser said.
