Ensuring a clear path to market
Cultivated meat will have many benefits for people, animals, and the planet. For cultivated meat to be successful on the market, there must be an efficient regulatory path in every country. Learn how we advocate around the world for clear, efficient regulations.
Regulation around the world
FDA and USDA will jointly regulate cultivated meat in the United States
In March 2019, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a formal agreement outlining their respective regulatory roles for livestock and poultry meat: FDA will oversee the earlier stages of cultivated meat production and USDA will ensure safety in the later stages.
Since then, USDA and FDA have formed three interagency working groups on cultivated meat and have also held a joint webinar. Additionally, since FDA has sole regulatory authority over most cultivated seafood, they released a request for information seeking input on cultivated seafood labeling in 2020. In 2021, USDA published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking to solicit comments and information about labeling cultivated meat and poultry products. FDA and USDA will eventually use responses to these solicitations to inform federal rules for labeling cultivated seafood and cultivated meat products, respectively.
Regulators in other countries have taken an interest in cultivated meat as well
As of 2025, five cultivated meat and seafood products received regulatory approvals across the United States, Singapore, and Israel. Additional meat products are under regulatory review in at least nine countries or regions, including the European Union, the United States, Singapore, Israel, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and South Korea. Each of these countries has established robust regulatory pathways for cultivated meat, while others around the world are still in development. GFI is working in Europe, Brazil, India, Israel, Japan, and throughout the Asia-Pacific region to ensure rigorous and fair food-safety regulatory processes for cultivated meat.
USDA/FDA joint webinar on cultivated meat
USDA and FDA held a joint webinar in July 2020 to discuss their roles and responsibilities for cultivated meat. The agencies gave an overview of their March 2019 Formal Agreement and discussed their plans to develop regulatory requirements for labels.
Media highlights
What’s in a name? FDA requests info on labeling of cell-cultured seafood
FoodNavigator summarizes FDA’s request for information on labeling of cultivated seafood products. FDA has sole authority over cultivated seafood, except catfish.
The first lab-grown meat for sale could come from this Singapore startup that’s re-creating shrimp
Los Angeles Times hypothesizes that because the Singaporean government has already developed regulations for cultivated meat, companies may be encouraged to debut their products in Singapore.
These $50 chicken nuggets were grown in a lab
Bloomberg discusses some challenges cultivated meat producers must overcome, one of which is the need for clear and efficient regulations before cultivated meat can come to market.
The lab-grown meat industry just got the regulatory oversight it’s been begging for
Vox summarizes the United States Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s March formal agreement, which outlines the joint regulatory framework for cultivated meat.
Our submissions to policymakers
GFI submits public comments to policymakers in order to advance alternative proteins strategically and with integrity.
To USDA re Harvard Law School Animal Law & Policy Clinic letter (treated as petition) on cultivated meat labeling
Re: use of cell culture technology to develop products derived from livestock and poultry
To FSIS-USDA re U.S. Cattlemen’s Association’s petition to restrict labels