Florida Governor Signs Controversial Bill Banning Lab-Grown Meat Production and Sale

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has signed a controversial bill, SB 1084, that bans the production and sale of lab-grown meat in the state. The move makes Florida the latest state to join similar efforts in Alabama, Arizona, and Tennessee, sparking intense debate about the future of food production and the role of government in regulating the industry.

Why this matters: This ban has significant implications for the future of food production, as it could hinder the development of sustainable and environmentally-friendly alternatives to traditional agriculture. Moreover, it raises concerns about government overreach and the stifling of innovation in the biotechnology industry.

The bill, which passed during the legislative session that ended March 8, aims to protect Florida's cattle industry against what DeSantis called "an ideological agenda that wants to finger agriculture being the problem. "It makes it a second-degree misdemeanor to sell or manufacture cultivated meat, which involves taking a small number of cultured cells from animals and growing them in controlled settings to make food.

DeSantis framed the ban as a fight against the "global elite's plan" to force people to eat meat grown in a petri dish or bugs. "Today, Florida is fighting back against the global elite's plan to force the world to eat meat grown in a petri dish or bugs to achieve their authoritarian goals," he said. "We will save our beef."

The bill has drawn strong reactions from both supporters and opponents. Wilton Simpson, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture, praised the move, calling it a "tremendous step in the right direction" to protect American agriculture. "We must protect our incredible farmers and the integrity of American agriculture," Simpson said.

However, companies in the lab-grown meat industry have expressed concerns about the implications of the ban. Tom Rossmeissl, head of global marketing at Eat Just Inc., criticized the move, saying it "stifles innovation" and puts the US's lead in alternative proteins at risk. "The United States has a tremendous lead in terms of alternative proteins right now," Rossmeissl said. "We have 43 cultivated meat companies in the world. But this kind of political rhetoric and these laws put that in jeopardy."

Upside Foods, another cultivated meat startup, warned that the ban could enable China to gain an unfair advantage in the biotechnology industry, as China has included cultivated meat technology in its latest five-year agricultural plan to tackle greenhouse gas emissions and food scarcity. Lori Berman, a Florida Democratic senator who voted against the bill, echoed these concerns, calling the ban "shortsighted" and expressing fears that it could allow China to gain an advantage in the biotechnology industry.

Dean Black, a cattle rancher and Republican Florida representative who pushed for the bill's passage, cited national security concerns and fears that concentrating protein production in factories could lead to famine if those facilities are struck by a missile. Supporters of the ban, such as Black, have also raised health concerns, citing the need for more research on the micronutrients in lab-grown meat.

Advocates for lab-grown meat argue that the ban is pre-emptive, as cultivated meat is still far from competing with regular meat. Paul Shapiro, CEO of The Better Meat Co., likened the ban to "banning video streaming to try to protect Blockbuster video stores." Shapiro and Rossmeissl argue that cultivated meat has near-identical nutritional value to real meat and that consumers should be free to choose whether they trust the product.

The bill also prevents local governments from regulating electric vehicle charging stations, placing oversight under the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. As of 2021, Florida had 3,230 public charging stations in 44 of the 67 counties. A 2021 state law prohibited local governments from mandating electric-vehicle charging stations on gas retailers.

Key Takeaways

• Florida bans lab-grown meat production and sale with SB 1084.
• DeSantis cites protection of cattle industry and "global elite's plan" as reasons.
• Lab-grown meat companies and opponents argue ban stifles innovation and hurts US lead.
• Supporters raise national security and health concerns, citing need for more research.
• Ban has implications for climate change, food scarcity, and future of food production.