Aug. 13, 2025
California's cultivated meat sector battles USDA, trade barriers under Trump
No longer just labs of innovation, California's cultivated meat firms are now global trade actors -- pushing for a seat at the table in U.S. export policy and international agreements.
Dr. Chang Kyoung (CK) Choi
Associate Professor
Michigan Technological University
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Roberto Escobar
Roberto "Bobby" Escobar is general counsel, and an environmental and labor and immigration advisor.
The cultivated meat sector, long hailed as a beacon of California's scientific and environmental leadership, is now confronting a rapidly shifting global trade environment. As the Trump administration rolls out a series of reciprocal tariffs and overhauls existing trade agreements, companies at the forefront of cellular agriculture find themselves at a defining crossroads. These businesses are no longer just startups scaling fermentation tanks; they are now trade stakeholders...
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