WEST POINT, Neb. -- Gov. Jim Pillen issued an executive order Thursday aimed at countering the push for lab-grown meat. Joining him were Director Sherry Vinton of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture and Local Livestock Producers.

Together, they introduced new regulations designed to shield Nebraska consumers and livestock from what they term "non-real meat" products.

"We are going to get very aggressive and make sure that Nebraskans are not going to get confused about how meat is labeled," Pillen said. "People are not going to be able to come into Nebraska and sell product that has meat on it and it's not meat."

Lab-grown meat is produced from cells taken from agricultural animals, but is cultivated in a controlled environment rather than through traditional meat processing methods.

"Manufactured protein or lab-grown meat needs to be clearly and distinctly separated from natural real meat that is raised by Nebraskans- dedicated and hardworking livestock producers," said Vinton.