Prohibiting manufacture, sale, or distribution of cultivated meat products

West Virginia's Senate Bill 225 bans the manufacture, sale, and distribution of cultivated meat (meat grown from animal cells in a lab) within the state from July 1, 2026, to July 1, 2031. Businesses violating this prohibition face fines up to $500 or up to one year in jail, and the state health secretary may suspend a food establishment's operating permit for violations. The law explicitly exempts research on cultivated meat conducted by government entities, state universities, or their partners through written agreements. The ban is set to expire after five years on July 1, 2031.