Sens. Ricketts and Fetterman Introduce FAIR Labels Act to Require Clear Lab-Grown Meat Labels
The FAIR Labels Act of 2026 is currently in the early stages of the legislative process. It was recently introduced in the Senate and sent to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry for review. No further actions are scheduled at this time.
The bill has support from both parties, which is a good sign, but it still needs to pass through committees where food industry groups may have concerns.
Scores run from -100 (strongly harmful) to +100 (strongly beneficial) for each group, combining impact, certainty, scope, and duration ratings of 1-5. How impact scoring works
Small companies making cell-cultivated or plant-based protein products face new labeling requirements that could increase packaging and compliance costs. At the same time, clearer standards of identity could reduce legal uncertainty and make it easier for new companies to enter the market with confidence about what rules they must follow.
“The requirements of this Act shall apply with respect to cell-cultivated protein products in the same manner as such requirements apply to meat and meat food products.”
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Introduced in Senate
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Senators John Fetterman and Pete Ricketts introduced bipartisan legislation to prevent alternative protein products from using traditional meat terminology. The bill would ban labels like "plant-based ground beef" and require terms like "ground plant-based alternative protein."
Senator Pete Ricketts says the FAIR Labels Act creates much-needed transparency by distinguishing between livestock products and cell-cultivated proteins. The bill requires clear labeling to ensure consumers know exactly what they are purchasing at the grocery store.
The FAIR Labels Act would amend the Federal Meat Inspection Act to prohibit the sale of mislabeled alternative proteins. It establishes permitted label examples like "cell-cultivated protein burger" while prohibiting terms like "cruelty-free steak" or "cultivated beef burgers."
No votes recorded for this bill yet.
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
FAIR Labels Act of 2026
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