Misbranding Cultivated Meat Products as Meat, Bill Moves Forward

Southeast Colorado Representative Ty Winter happily announced Monday that his bill moved out of the house on a third reading. It must now go to the Senate before it becomes a law.

The legislation would prohibit the misbranding of lab-grown, cultivated meat products as meat.

According to the bill's fiscal note, House Bill 25-1203:

Prohibits food that is cell-cultivated, or contains cell-cultivated meat, from being branded as a meat product and requires it to be clearly labeled as cell-cultivated meat. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) must inspect an inventory of food offered for sale at a processing plant and may issue a stop order if the department has reasonable cause to believe that the plant is in violation of the labeling requirements of the bill. If a violation is found, CDPHE may issue an embargo order, requiring the plant to dispose of any cell-cultivated meat. CDPHE, the Attorney General, or the local district attorney may petition the district court to enforce a stop or embargo order.

The legislation was a bi-partisan effort, also sponsored by Democrat Representative Karen McCormick and Democrat Senator Kyle Mullica. Southeast Colorado Republican State Senator Rod Pelton joined his colleagues in sponsoring the bill.

Winter has testified that he wants to protect Colorado Agriculture. The bill is expected to generate minimal work at the state and local levels and is projected not to require funding.

(Representatives Ty Winter and Karen McCormick pose after their bill passed the house)

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