FAIR Labels Act of 2026

The Fair and Accurate Ingredient Representation on Labels Act of 2026 aims to ensure consumers can make informed decisions regarding meat, poultry, cell-cultivated protein, and plant-based alternative protein products. It mandates a revision of the 2019 Memorandum of Understanding between the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Health and Human Services. This revision clarifies that the USDA will implement the Act's amendments, while the FDA will oversee premarket consultation, cell line development, manufacturing controls, and facility inspections for cell-cultivated protein products, ensuring compliance with applicable regulations.

For cell-cultivated protein products, the bill amends the Federal Meat Inspection Act and the Poultry Products Inspection Act to define them as products made from animal cell culture or DNA, grown outside a live animal. New misbranding provisions require labels to clearly indicate "cell-cultivated" and state that the product is derived from sources other than traditional meat or poultry. A disclaimer must also confirm it is not derived from, or does not contain, naturally produced meat or poultry from a live animal.

The bill also addresses plant-based alternative protein products by amending the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, defining them as plant-based foods that mimic the aesthetic qualities of meat or poultry. Labels for these products must prominently feature the phrase "plant-based alternative protein product" and a statement clarifying they are not derived from live animals. Finally, the Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, is directed to develop common standards of identity for both cell-cultivated and plant-based alternative protein products.