PIERRE, SD — South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden has vetoed House Bill 1077, legislation that would have classified lab-grown meat as adulterated food under state law. In vetoing the bill, the governor instead urged lawmakers to advance a five-year moratorium on the sale of lab-grown meat to allow additional time for safety review.

House Bill 1077 passed both chambers of the legislature last week, reflecting continued concern among lawmakers about foods produced through unfamiliar industrial processes and the lack of long-term data surrounding lab-grown meat.

The Center for the Environment and Welfare (CEW), a consumer watchdog that has tracked the lab-grown meat industry since 2023, said the governor’s call for a moratorium reinforces broader public unease with the product.

“A temporary moratorium reinforces what consumers and the governor are already signaling: they have no appetite for lab-grown meat,” said Will Coggin, Research Director at CEW. “There are too many unanswered questions about long-term health, safety, and transparency to rush these products into the food supply.”

CEW launched a public education campaign in 2023 to help consumers and lawmakers get the facts about lab-grown meat. For example, supporters often claim that lab-grown meat is more sustainable than traditional, farm-raised meat products. However, researchers at UC Davis believe lab-grown meat could have 25 times the environmental impact of farm-raised meat. 

About the Center for Environment and Welfare

At a time when leaders are facing unprecedented pressure to adopt responsible environmental, social, and government (ESG) policies, it can be difficult for decision-makers and the public to separate good policy from bad. As a think tank, CEW leverages cutting-edge research to assess ESG proposals and recommend best practices that actually make a difference for animals and the planet. To learn more, visit EnvironmentandWelfare.com.