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, seven cultivated meat and seafood products have received regulatory approvals across the United States, Singapore, and Australia. 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 the United States, 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
Want to try lab-grown salmon? The US just approved it.
GFI’s Maddie Cohen was included in Grist’s piece about WildType’s FDA approval and the climate benefits of cultivated seafood.
Who’s Afraid of Lab-Grown Meat?
GFI’s Madeline Cohen spoke on the unconstitutionality of cultivated meat bans in this NYT piece about state-level cultivated meat bans and why some ranchers, red states, and meat industry members…
Free trade over fear: Meat industry challenges cultivated meat bans
GFI’s Pepin Tuma and Bruce Friedrich spoke on the meat industry’s efforts to ban cultivated meat in this Food Nav-USA piece highlighting the need for fair regulations and the potential…
Oat, almond and other plant-based drinks can be labeled ‘milk,’ FDA proposes
GFI responds to FDA’s draft guidance on plant-based milk labeling in the U.S.
Plant-Based Drinks Can Be Labeled as ‘Milk,’ FDA Says
GFI’s Madeline Cohen discusses FDA’s draft guidance on plant-based milk labeling, and how it can be detrimental to U.S. climate goals.
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