Warren Davidson, a Republican Party member and US representative for Ohio's eighth congressional district, initiated the REAL Meat Act of 2024, which outlaws federal funds for any undertaking related to cultivated meat, including research, production, promotion, and advertisement.

Rep. Davidson dissents from the support of cultivated meat because it endangers human health and the livelihood of traditional meat producers. The legislation would prohibit the use of cell-based meat in federal nutrition programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

The Real MEAT Act was initially introduced in 2019 by Deb Fischer, a Nebraska senator and a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. The legislation was supported by the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) and will take effect from July 1, 2024, including other states of Alabama and Florida.

Analyst QuickTake: The introduction of this bill further exacerbates the already challenging regulatory landscape of the cell-cultured meat sector. This development follows the signing of Bills SB 1084 (Florida) and SB23 (Alabama) into law, criminalizing the manufacture and sale of cultivated meat products.