Quotes from Vegconomist, January 30, 2024
A new bill called the “School Lunch Integrity Act of 2024” has been proposed by US Senators Mike Rounds and Jon Tester. The bill aims to change the nutritional standards set by the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to prohibit the use of cell-cultivated meat in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the School Breakfast Program (SBP).
The industry of cell-cultivated protein products, which are sometimes called “fake meat”, has been expanding and attracting investment since the first product was introduced in 2013. Companies such as Upside Foods and GOOD Meat are leading the market in the United States, and they received FDA and USDA approval last year.
The goal of these products is to enhance future food security by lowering the reliance on livestock. However, this growth has also generated controversy, especially among conventional meat producers.
The bill’s purpose was explained by Senator Rounds: “Our students deserve real meat from cell-raised animals, not synthetic ‘meat’ products made in labs. South Dakota farmers and ranchers produce high-quality beef products. There is no need to serve fake, lab-grown meat products in the cafeteria when we have local, quality beef available for our students.”
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