Arizona may join Italy and even Florida in banning or attempting to ban lab-grown meat.
First-term state Rep. David Marshall (R-Snowflake) is sponsoring House Bill 2121. The bill’s proposal was approved by the house last week, with the hopes of keeping lab-grown meat products off of Arizona store shelves.
According to news sources, Marshall believes that billionaire Bill Gates and the World Economic Forum “have openly declared war on our ranching.” A war, Marshall argues, is fueled by environmental claims that point the finger at methane produced by cattle and seek to eradicate ranching, one of the top agricultural commodities in Arizona.
The bill, if passed, wouldn’t make the products illegal for Arizona residents to have or consume.
Citing a joint report by the World Health Organization and the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, Marshall notes that the report found 53 potential hazards of lab-cultured meat, including heavy metal contamination, toxic components, prions, and more.
However, as other news sources have pointed out, the report doesn’t conclude whether lab-grown products are better or worse than live animal products. The report also indicates a need for more data to determine the benefits of lab-grown meat to help prepare regulatory actions.
Meanwhile, a study reported in MIT Technology Review said that using a process that depends on food-grade ingredients results in the equivalent of 10 to 75 kilograms of carbon dioxide per kilogram of beef — less than the global average emissions from beef. However, MIT’s review notes that purifying and removing contaminants produces 250 to 1,000 kilograms of carbon dioxide pollution.
While Marshall’s bill has gained support from both sides of the aisle, it has also been met with bipartisan resistance from legislators who argue that people should have the right to buy what they want.
Another new law also has taken a swing at regulating lab-grown meat in Arizona. House Bill 2244, proposed by Rep. Quant Nguyen (R-Prescott Valley), is another bipartisan-supported bill introduced to prohibit intentionally labeling a product that did not come from a living animal as meat. Nguyen’s proposal currently awaits Senate action.