Mississippi Bans Lab-Grown Meat Linked to Cancer-Causing Oncogenes
Joins Florida and Alabama.
On Monday, Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves signed House Bill 1006 (HB 1006), a law that makes it illegal to manufacture, sell, or distribute lab-grown meat in the Magnolia State.
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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved lab-grown meat for human consumption in 2022.
Concerns regarding lab-grown meat include its production using immortalized cells, which are linked to cancer-like tumor growth due to their uncontrolled proliferation, potential contamination risks, unnatural nutrient profiles, and ethical questions about manipulating life at a cellular level.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO) have identified 53 potential health hazards associated with cell-based foods.
The FAO/WHO report identifies potential ill health effects of lab-grown (cell-based) meat including contamination risks from animal cell lines, use of growth media containing allergens or harmful substances, risks of microbial contamination during cell culture and processing, accumulation of toxic metabolites, potential for novel allergens, and risks from materials used in scaffolding and bioreactors, all of which require further safety assessments and regulatory oversight.
Immortalized cell lines used in lab-grown meat production are genetically altered in ways directly associated with cancer.
An October 2021 study in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences confirms these cells are made immortal by introducing “the catalytic subunit of telomerase (TERT), or induction by viral genes that inactivate p53/p14/Rb.”
The p53 and Rb genes are the body’s primary tumor suppressors, and disabling them “allow[s] cells to continue DNA replication, leading to cell division without regulation.”
The authors clearly state that “an immortal cultured meat cell line may contain expressed oncogenes”—oncogenes being cancer-causing genes.
They warn that food made from these cells “will need to be confirmed not to have tumorigenicity,” meaning the potential to cause tumors.
However, they acknowledge a “gap in knowledge” regarding the safety of consuming these genetically modified, cancer-like cells.
Additionally, these immortalized cells are prone to “genetic drift,” where mutations accumulate over time, potentially leading to “unpredictable changes.”
What’s in the Bill?
The new law, which takes effect July 1, 2025, prohibits the sale of any “cultivated food product”—defined as “any food product produced from cultured animal cells”—within Mississippi’s borders.
Any person or business caught violating the ban faces up to three months in jail, a $500 fine, or both.
Retail food establishments that violate the new law can lose their licenses or permits, according to HB 1006.
The Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce and the State Department of Health are now tasked with enforcing the law, with broad authority to adopt any rules or regulations they deem necessary to implement the ban.
HB 1006 amends Mississippi’s existing meat inspection law, Section 75-35-15, to explicitly outlaw lab-grown meat products.
The revised statute now states:
“A food product that contains cultured animal tissue produced from animal cell cultures outside of the organism from which it is derived shall not be manufactured or sold within the state.”
In addition, the law clarifies that plant-based and insect-based products can’t be labeled as “meat” or a “meat food product.”
With HB1006 signed into law, Mississippi will begin developing regulations and enforcement guidelines through its Department of Agriculture and Commerce and the State Department of Health.
These agencies are authorized to adopt rules as needed to implement and enforce the ban.
Mississippi’s law takes effect on July 1, 2025.
Unanimous Support
The bill passed both chambers with unanimous bipartisan support.
On March 10, the Mississippi House voted 116–0 to approve the Senate’s amended version.
The Senate had passed the bill 50–0 on March 6.
HB 1006 was sponsored by Republican Representatives Bill Pigott and Lester Carpenter.
A Growing National Movement
Mississippi joins Florida and Alabama, both of which enacted similar bans on lab-grown meat in 2024.
Florida’s law was signed by Governor Ron DeSantis in May 2024, and Alabama followed with its own ban in June 2024.
Supporters of these bans argue that lab-grown meat poses risks to food safety, threatens traditional agriculture, and undermines food sovereignty.
Lawmakers argue these measures protect farmers and consumers from an untested and potentially unsafe industry.
What Happens Next?
As the global push for lab-grown meat accelerates under the banners of “sustainability” and “innovation,” the public deserves the truth—free from industry spin and bureaucratic whitewashing.
The FAO, WHO, and multiple peer-reviewed studies have made one thing clear: the safety of these synthetic products is far from settled.
Documented risks include microbial contamination, toxic byproducts, novel allergens, and exposure to untested substances used in manufacturing.
These aren’t theoretical concerns—they are identified hazards acknowledged by the very organizations tasked with global food safety oversight.
Even more concerning, the cells used to produce lab-grown meat are often immortalized—genetically altered in ways directly associated with cancer.
These cells can contain expressed oncogenes, the same cancer-causing genes that drive uncontrolled tumor growth.
Studies warn of a “gap in knowledge” about the tumorigenicity of these modified cells, meaning their potential to cause tumors remains unresolved.
Additionally, immortalized cells are prone to genetic drift, where mutations accumulate over time, leading to unpredictable and potentially dangerous changes.
The bottom line: lab-grown meat is not a proven safe alternative to traditional food sources.
In fact, its health risks may be greater—and they remain largely unknown.
Consumers deserve informed consent, not blind trust in biotech experiments backed by billion-dollar corporations.
Until there is full transparency, rigorous long-term safety studies, and independent regulatory oversight, promoting lab-grown meat is a reckless gamble with public health.
Mississippi’s ban, along with similar laws in Florida and Alabama, marks the beginning of a growing movement to prioritize food safety, protect traditional agriculture, and uphold food sovereignty in the face of untested food technologies.
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Yes!
Now let’s ban Bill Gates.
Bravo, Mississippi!