Texas Bans Sale, Manufacture, Possession of Lab-Grown Meat

Texas has become the seventh U.S. state to ban the manufacture, sale, and possession of lab-grown or cell-cultured meat, following Governor Greg Abbott's signing of Senate Bill 261. The law, effective September 1, 2025, was strongly supported by the Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, who say it safeguards traditional animal agriculture and consumer safety. Violations are criminal offenses, and the legislation specifically defines lab-grown meat as actual animal tissue grown from cell cultures, not a synthetic product. Supporters cite the lack of long-term health studies, while critics argue the ban infringes on individual liberty, market freedom, and scientific progress. Legal challenges to similar bans are already underway in other states, and public opinion on lab-grown meat remains divided. The Texas law is part of a broader trend of states restricting cultivated meat amid debates over food innovation and agriculture.