Cell-Cultured Protein Moratorium to Take Effect

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 24, 2026

Contact: Josie Harms

Cell-Cultured Protein Moratorium to Take Effect

PIERRE, S.D. - On July 1^st, Governor Larry Rhoden's five-year moratorium on cell-cultured protein, SB 124, will take effect.

"Until we know more about the safety of cell-cultured protein, a 5-year moratorium will allow for more adequate studies and for lawsuits to resolve," said Governor Larry Rhoden. "You won't catch me eating these products, but it's against our values to ban products just because we don't like them. This moratorium received overwhelming support or our state legislature, and I was proud to sign it."

Governor Rhoden previously charted a compromise to deliver the five-year moratorium, bringing together ag groups, legislators, and stakeholders on both sides of the issue. The compromise:

• Imposes a five-year temporary moratorium to permit further study within the existing regulatory framework and allow the pending litigation in other states to further unfold;
• Respects constitutional limits and reduce the risk of unnecessary litigation; and
• Preserves South Dakota's long-standing commitment to our values.

"SDCA appreciated Governor Rhoden charting the path forward with a compromise that balanced further research with South Dakota's open market mindset," said South Dakota Cattlemen's Association (SDCA) President Craig Bieber. "Cell-cultured products will never be a competition to real meat, and thanks to the compromise, South Dakota maintains a fair marketplace and avoids retaliatory actions from outside the state, ensuring consumers continue to have access to the highest-quality beef produced here in South Dakota."

In 2025, Governor Rhoden signed HB 1022, which protects our ag industry and consumers by making it illegal to falsely label cell-cultured protein as "meat."

This week, the Governor is hosting the 2026 South Dakota Governor's Ag Summit, which brings together policymakers, industry leaders, producers and prospective farmers to advance our state's number one industry. You can learn more about the Summit here.

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