The governor of California, Gavin Newsom, and California Senate & Assembly leaders passed a state budget on June 29th, 2022 that includes the first-ever dedicated funding for cultivated meat research development in California history. The budget allocates a total of $5 million to UC Berkeley, UCLA, and UC Davis to use for the research and development of cultivated and plant-based meats.

UPSIDE Foods, the first cultivated meat company in California, recently hosted members of the legislature at its Engineering, Production, and Innovation Center (EPIC) to discuss the funding proposal. The alternative meat maker shared the following words after the funding was approved:

“…As the world’s first cultivated meat company, UPSIDE established California as the global hub for the cultivated meat industry. This historic investment in research and development across the University of California system will ensure that California remains a leader in food and innovation. At UPSIDE Foods, we believe strongly in the need for open access research to build a robust cultivated meat ecosystem that benefits all.”