Mississippi legislators have banned lab-grown milk. Any product that is labeled as a ‘cell-cultured dairy product’ will not be able to be sold in Mississippi stores. The Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce, Andy Gipson, says this will “promote real food for real people.” Many farmers across the state have spoken out in support of the ban. The law imposes tighter rules on how meat and other animal-based products can be labeled and sold.
Local goat milk farm, Loch Ross Farms, says that lab-grown milk is a new concept to us.
“Our customers want fresh, raw milk and lab-grown could imply something unnatural and therefore off-putting to some people.”
They say that, as a small goat dairy farm, lab-grown milk “doesn’t seem likely to become competition to our little business, but large-scale cattle dairy farmers may be more concerned.”
Local cow dairy farm, Grazing Way Farm, is in complete support of the law. “We definitely don’t like lab-grown milk or pasteurized milk; it’s not natural in our opinion.” The farm stated that it believes this law will benefit farmers in the long run.
Currently, the only lab-grown milk company is UnReal Milk. The company was stated to be sustainable, with no animal cruelty and to make milk production easier. The company plans to start marketing on a small scale this year.
Scientists with the National Institute of Health say that cellular agriculture is an innovative technology for manufacturing sustainable agricultural products as an alternative to traditional agriculture.
Studies show that they use animal cells to produce cell-cultured milk, making the process more sustainable and ensuring the product tastes as close to milk as possible.
The law also puts restrictions on lab-grown meats, also known as “cultivated-protien food product.” The restrictions include the state having to inspect all meat products to make sure they are properly branded and state on the packaging whether they contain a “manufactured-protein food product.”
Retail stores, food processing plants, or food establishments found to be selling or producing food products will be forced to stop selling or producing those products and dispose of them. They will also have to pay $500 per day for each day they have the violating products.
Lab-grown milk is currently sold in limited places in the US and in countries such as Singapore and the Netherlands. This law is currently not in effect, but will take effect starting July first of this year.
