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MississippiHB 9132025 Regular SessionHouseWALLET

Meat labeling; require accurate labeling of meat and nonmeat products by processors, retail and food establishment prior to final sale.

Sponsored By: Vince Mangold (Republican)

Signed by Governor

Agriculture

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

5 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 3 costs, 2 mixed.

New compliance costs for food businesses

Distributors and wholesalers must tell stores and food service businesses whether covered products are meat or nonmeat, and provide required origin certification. The agriculture commissioner may also require verifiable records from people who prepare, store, handle, or distribute covered products for retail sale. Beginning July 1, 2025, covered food establishments must apply for a license each year and pay $10 per establishment. Retail dealers, restaurants, eating places, and USDA-inspected establishments are excluded from that license requirement.

Public schools and colleges restrict food buys

Mississippi public colleges, community colleges, and local school boards must set purchasing policies to avoid buying food misbranded as meat or cultivated-protein food products. These rules govern public institutions, not family purchases.

Mississippi bans cultivated meat foods

Beginning July 1, 2025, businesses cannot make or sell food in Mississippi that contains cultured animal tissue grown outside the source animal. This limits the covered products available to consumers in the state.

Clearer meat labels for shoppers

Beginning July 1, 2025, covered businesses must tell buyers whether products are authentic meat or nonmeat. Plant-, insect-, and other covered protein products cannot be labeled as meat; when a covered product uses a meat term, a clear qualifying term must appear next to it. Trace amounts of plant protein alone do not make a product misbranded. Stores can use visible signs unless retail packaging already identifies the product; restaurants must mark nonmeat menu items, while those selling only authentic meat may use approved signs. Covered inspected meat products also need required inspection marks and product information.

Inspections and penalties for meat labels

The agriculture department must inspect covered products after a credible complaint about false meat labeling; routine inspections do not have to check for mislabeling. It must stop sales when it has reasonable cause to suspect a product is mislabeled, and regulators may secure or dispose of confirmed misbranded products. A business can face a penalty of up to $500 per violation, capped at $10,000 for violations from one transaction or occurrence; each continuing day counts separately. The department must suspend or revoke a chapter license for a labeling violation. Businesses have 30 days to appeal a penalty order.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Vince Mangold

    Republican • House

Cosponsors

  • Lester Carpenter

    Republican • House

  • Jeff Hale

    Republican • House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 324 • No: 1

Senate vote • 4/1/2025

Conference Report Adopted

Yes: 49 • No: 0

House vote • 3/31/2025

Conference Report Adopted

Yes: 111 • No: 0 • Other: 2

Senate vote • 3/6/2025

Passed As Amended

Yes: 49 • No: 0 • Other: 1

House vote • 1/29/2025

Passed

Yes: 115 • No: 1 • Other: 1

Actions Timeline

  1. Approved by Governor

    4/17/2025legislature

  2. Enrolled Bill Signed

    4/7/2025Senate

  3. Enrolled Bill Signed

    4/7/2025House

  4. Conference Report Adopted

    4/1/2025Senate

  5. Conference Report Adopted

    3/31/2025House

  6. Conference Report Filed

    3/28/2025House

  7. Conference Report Filed

    3/28/2025Senate

  8. Conferees Named Whaley,Berry,Hill

    3/17/2025Senate

  9. Conferees Named Pigott,Mangold,Wallace

    3/11/2025House

  10. Decline to Concur/Invite Conf

    3/10/2025House

  11. Returned For Concurrence

    3/6/2025Senate

  12. Immediate Release

    3/6/2025Senate

  13. Passed As Amended

    3/6/2025Senate

  14. Amended

    3/6/2025Senate

  15. Title Suff Do Pass As Amended

    2/27/2025Senate

  16. Referred To Agriculture

    2/17/2025Senate

  17. Transmitted To Senate

    1/30/2025House

  18. Passed

    1/29/2025House

  19. Title Suff Do Pass

    1/28/2025House

  20. Referred To Agriculture

    1/17/2025House

Bill Text

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