US Senators Propose Ban on Cell-Cultivated Meat in School Meals
US Senators Mike Rounds and Jon Tester have introduced the “School Lunch Integrity Act of 2024.” This bill seeks to amend nutritional requirements established by the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to ban cell-cultivated meat from the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the School Breakfast Program (SBP). Since the first cell-cultivated protein product debuted in 2013, the industry has seen rapid growth and investment, with companies like Upside Foods and GOOD Meat emerging as key players in the United States, culminating in FDA and USDA approval last year. The development of these so-called “fake meat” products is aimed at supporting future food security by reducing livestock dependency. However, this growth has sparked controversy, particularly among …