Italy Outlaws Cultivated Meat to Protect Agricultural Industry

Italian lawmakers have voted in favor of a law that prohibits the production, sale, or import of cultured meat or animal feed. This decision by the right-wing government is being hailed as a defense of Italian tradition. According to Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida, Italy is the first country in the world to be safe from the social and economic risks associated with synthetic food. The vote in parliament resulted in both support and opposition to the ban, with rallies being held on both sides. At one point, a scuffle broke out between farmers and some members of parliament. The head of the Coldiretti farmers' organization, Ettore Prandini, confronted two opposition MPs, accusing them of being "criminals" for opposing the ban on lab-grown meat. He displayed placards criticizing such meat as "anti-scientific and anti-Italian." One MP, Benedetto Della Vedova, called Prandini a hooligan. Despite the tensions, the bill was passed by parliament, with 159 votes in favor and 53 against. Violating the law could result in fines of up to €60,000 (approximately £52,000). However, the impact of the law will be limited for now, as lab-grown meat has only been approved for human consumption in Singapore and the US. The European Union has not yet approved such "novel foods." If it does, Italy's new law could face challenges from the European Commission. Italy's agriculture minister sees this legislation as a victory. He had previously vowed to prevent synthetic food from entering the country's dining tables. According to him, the new law protects Italian food and culture, as well as workers in the agricultural sector. Critics of the law, including bioscience specialist Prof Elena Cattaneo, argue that it is misleading to label lab-grown meat as synthetic, as it is produced using natural cells without genetic modification. Animal welfare groups, who view lab-made meat as an environmentally friendly alternative, also lament the law's impact. Overall, this decision by Italian lawmakers is seen as a significant step in regulating the future of food production in the country, as well as in shaping the broader discussion around cultured meat and its place in global food systems.