The Beef Checkoff and Lab-Grown Protein

Greg Hanes CEO, Cattlemen’s Beef Board

As the fortunes of “plant-based meat” companies appear to be in decline recently, another competitor to beef raised on farms and ranches is starting to garner more headlines. “Lab-grown” or “cell-cultured meat” seems to be popping up here and there. Seeing these articles, some producers have expressed concern to me that the Beef Checko may begin to promote this “lab-grown” protein. Based on the law, my answer to them is always the same – no way!

Regardless of how these lab-grown products will be categorized, the Beef Checko will not be promoting them. Why? It all goes back to the federal law that created and controls the Beef Checko . In this law, called the Beef Promotion and Research Act (the Act), there are very clear de nitions relative to the Checko program and what it can and can’t do.

e Act speci cally de nes three important terms: “beef”, “beef products”, and “cattle”:

De nition #1: “beef” as “ esh from cattle”

De nition #2: “Beef products” are “edible products produced in whole or in part from beef”

De nition #3: “cattle” are de ned as “live domesticated bovine animals” e Act goes on to note that the Beef Checko can only be used for promotion, advertising, research and consumer and industry information programs, focused solely on “beef and beef products,” and to support the beef industry. ese de nitions for both beef and beef products as coming directly from the esh of cattle (and cattle are live animals) are key, as lab-grown protein does not meet these established descriptions. In addition, no Checko dollars will be collected from any of these cell-based products. Checko assessments are based on live cattle or imported beef and beef products originating from live cattle. ere are no provisions in the federal Checko law to collect dollars from lab-grown meat to be used in our program. Keep in mind there is one more check and balance to ensure no Beef Checko dollars are spent promoting a product that does not generate assessments on behalf of the Checko program. According to e Act, any programs funded by national Beef Checko dollars must be approved by the Beef Promotion Operating Committee (BPOC), comprised of “cattle producers and importers”. Non-assessment payers are not eligible to become CBB Board or BPOC members, and would not make these important funding decisions. We stand by those who pay into our longstanding program and will continue to take our legal and duciary responsibilities in upholding the law with the same continued commitment we use every day - now and in the future.

Amburgey Charolais Farm

Annual Bull & Female Sale & Herd Reduction Sale

Saturday, April 8, 2023 • 1 PM

Followed with the Commercial Cow Sale Blue Grass Stockyards East, Mt. Sterling, KY (1/2 mile off I-64 at exit 113)

Performance tested, good disposition, semen checked Bred

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