Florida Becomes First State to Ban Lab-Grown Meat Sales

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has signed SB 1084 into law, making Florida the first state to officially ban the sale of lab-grown meat. The bill was enacted amid concerns voiced by local agricultural leaders about the potential impacts of lab-grown meat on traditional farming and the meat industry.

Governor DeSantis criticized the World Economic Forum’s push for alternative protein sources such as lab-grown meat and insects. “While the World Economic Forum is telling the world to forgo meat consumption, Florida is increasing meat production, and encouraging residents to consume and enjoy 100 percent real Florida beef,” DeSantis stated during the bill signing ceremony.

The legislation has received strong support from Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture, Wilton Simpson, who echoed the sentiment by emphasizing the need to protect the integrity of American agriculture and support local farmers.

In addition to banning lab-grown meat, Governor DeSantis highlighted several other initiatives designed to bolster Florida’s agriculture, including modernizing the Right to Farm Act, simplifying tax exemptions for farmers, and investing significantly in the agricultural sector through the Framework for Freedom Budget.

This new law places Florida at the forefront of the debate over the future of meat production, following Italy’s recent move to ban cultivated meat products. The legislation has sparked discussions in other states, including Alabama, Arizona, and Tennessee, about similar measures.