Idaho committee introduces bill requiring clear labeling for lab-grown meat and insect proteins

Rep. Heather Scott, R.-District 2, asked the Idaho House Agriculture Committee to introduce RS31941, legislation that would add a new chapter to Title 37 to require clear labeling for “alternative animal proteins,” including cultured (lab-grown) meat and insect proteins.

"I think Idahoans have the right to know what's in the food they eat," Rep. Heather Scott said during her presentation to the committee. The sponsor said the bill would require prominent front-of-package labeling with a common name and scientific name where applicable, an ingredient list, and give the Idaho Department of Agriculture authority to oversee compliance and levy penalties.

Scott said the proposal focuses on “animal proteins” rather than plant-based substitutes and that it does not ban products. "I don't want to tell businesses what they can or cannot do," she told the committee, saying the bill's approach is to ensure consumer transparency.

The bill, as explained by Scott, would cover packaged goods and restaurants and would allow the Idaho Department of Agriculture to impose civil penalties for labeling violations. Scott described the penalty in the draft as $500 “per item,” and gave an example that a case of misbranded bars could generate multiple per-item penalties.

Committee members asked several technical and policy questions. Rep. Levitt asked whether labeling would apply to institutions such as public schools and the Department of Corrections; Scott said the draft targets packaging and restaurants and that she would check whether language should explicitly cover schools and prisons if the bill moves to a hearing. Rep. Nelson asked about seafood and how crustaceans would be categorized; Scott said the draft calls for a common name plus scientific name when used so consumers would know, and that menus could use common names such as “shrimp.”

Members also pressed on safety and oversight. Scott told the committee that the Food and Drug Administration regulates insects as food under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and that both the FDA and U.S. Department of Agriculture have roles for cultured meat—FDA for cell collection and initial safety and USDA for harvesting, processing and labeling. She said the bill is intended to add Idaho-specific labeling standards rather than replace federal oversight.

Some lawmakers raised questions about enforcement and market impact. Rep. Carlson said consumers already face many labeling requirements in other states and asked whether the committee risked layering yet more labels on products; Scott called the proposal a “soft touch” intended to establish a basic structure in Idaho code rather than replicate broader jurisdictional labeling regimes. Rep. Deggart (Dygaard) requested the sponsor provide available research on food-safety testing and nutritional comparisons before a hearing. Rep. Raymond noted that producer groups such as the Farm Bureau had been contacted and that other industry stakeholders would be consulted before further action.

After discussion, Rep. Garner moved to introduce RS31941. The committee voted by voice and the motion carried; the bill was introduced for further consideration. No roll-call tally was recorded in the transcript.

The sponsor cited a fiscal note saying the Idaho Department of Agriculture could implement the proposal with existing staff; she told the committee she had discussed the idea with the LSO analyst and the department director. Scott also asserted that some other states have moved to ban or restrict cultured meat and that the technology and markets are evolving internationally—a claim she framed as a reason to put Idaho-specific labeling in place now.

The committee did not adopt final language or a statute number; the bill will return for a formal hearing where the sponsor said she will provide additional detail on scope (schools/prisons), safety testing, and industry input.