The National Cattlemen’s Beef Assn. (NCBA) recently launched a new campaign highlighting critical questions about the production of lab-grown fake meat. The “Fake Meat Facts” campaign will shine a spotlight on the many unknowns that the federal government must clarify before finalizing the regulatory framework for these emerging products, NCBA said.

“The federal government is moving in the right direction on lab-grown fake meat oversight, but new information raises more questions than answers,” NCBA president Jennifer Houston said. “The lack of scientific consensus surrounding cell-cultured protein products became crystal clear to me when I participated in last year’s joint public meeting. NCBA will continue to push for increased transparency to ensure consumers know the facts about lab-grown fake meat production.”

Last year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Food & Drug Administration announced a framework for regulating lab-grown fake meat. USDA will have primary oversight of food production and labeling, while FDA will have oversight of cell collection and cell growth. However, as NCBA noted at the time, many details still need to be worked out. Additional information about the production, composition and safety of cell-cultured protein is needed to inform the development of a comprehensive framework that protects consumers.

“It is critical that manufacturers make samples of their cell-cultured products available for independent, objective analysis,” NCBA senior director of government affairs Danielle Beck added. “Until then, stakeholders will be forced to base their assessments on the unverified claims of manufacturing companies and fake meat activists.”