Hemp Fight Continues – Lab Meat In The Wings

State Senator Patrick Testin (R-Stevens Point) is spearheading a legislative push to define the future of Wisconsin’s dinner plates and its burgeoning hemp market. As Chair of the Senate Agriculture and Revenue Committee, Testin tells Pam Jahnke that his goal is consumer transparency for emerging food technologies while simultaneously keeping the local hemp industry from collapsing under shifting federal rules.

Lab-Grown Meat: “Petri Dish vs. Pasture”

Testin recently held public hearings on Senate Bill 560, a measure that would mandate clear labeling for food products containing cultured animal cells. Testin argues that Wisconsin families have a right to know if their meat was raised on a traditional farm or cultivated in a laboratory.

• Labeling Requirements: The bill requires any lab-grown meat sold in Wisconsin to be explicitly labeled as such on retail packaging and restaurant menus.
• Restaurant Restrictions: Under the proposal, restaurants would be prohibited from serving lab-grown products as a substitute for traditional meat unless a customer specifically requests it.
• Industry Stance: Testin framed the bill as a “truth-in-labeling” approach designed to protect the integrity of Wisconsin’s multi-billion-dollar livestock industry.

The Fight to Save Wisconsin Hemp

While the meat debate focuses on the future, Testin’s work on the state’s hemp industry is about immediate survival. Amidst a looming federal ban on many hemp-derived THC variants, Testin has authored bipartisan legislation to create a “safe haven” for the state’s industry through strict local regulation.

• Sensible Regulation: Testin’s proposal would treat hemp-derived products similar to alcohol, imposing a 21-and-up age limit for purchases and capping THC levels at 10 milligrams per serving.
• Public Safety First: The bill mandates independent lab testing for every batch and requires scannable QR codes on packaging so consumers can verify product contents.
• Economic Impact: Testin highlighted that the global hemp market is expected to reach $48 billion by 2032, and Wisconsin—once a national leader in cultivation—risks losing thousands of jobs without clear state-level rules.

Testin emphasized that these regulations are about “personal choice and responsibility,” comparing the use of hemp products to having a few beers at a Friday night fish fry.