Florida's Governor Ron DeSantis signs a bill to ban lab-grown meat sales, supporting traditional agriculture over climate policies.
Governor Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 1084, which prohibits the sale of lab-grown meat within the state. This legislation is positioned as a response to the World Economic Forum's advocacy for alternative protein sources, including lab-grown meat and insects, as part of a broader climate agenda.
Governor DeSantis framed the bill's signing as a defense 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." The Governor emphasized his commitment to investing in local farmers and ranchers, stating, "Our administration will continue to focus on investing in our local farmers and ranchers, and we will save our beef."
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson supported the move, calling it "a tremendous step in the right direction," and said, "Lab-grown meat is a disgraceful attempt to undermine our proud traditions and prosperity, and is in direct opposition to authentic agriculture." Simpson praised the Governor and other state leaders for supporting Florida's farmers and consumers.
The state government has also taken several other actions to bolster Florida's agricultural sector. These include updating the Right to Farm Act to shield agricultural activities from what are seen as unnecessary lawsuits, signing legislation to protect agri-tourism operators from property tax assessments, simplifying the process for farmers to receive sales tax exemptions, and reinvesting in the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program with $300 million to safeguard over 36,000 acres of farmland.
In addition, the state has allocated more than $2.8 billion to the agricultural industry through The Framework for Freedom Budget. A recent $6 million grant to Hardee County is aimed at fostering industrial growth and job creation by building a new warehouse and attracting new businesses to the area.
