Ag. Dept. Blocks IA's Attempt To Thwart SNAP Fund Use For Lab-Grown Meat

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is denying Iowa's request to prohibit SNAP benefits from being used to buy lab-grown meat or egg substitutes. The waiver request from the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services raised concerns about the nutritional value of cultivated protein and egg substitutes. The USDA denied the waiver, citing a lack of information on how it would improve nutrition levels for Iowans, or measure the effects of banning lab-grown products. Iowa recently passed a law banning meat and egg substitutes, including lab-grown products, from being served in school meals.