Florida is banning production and sale
of cultivated meats.
Governor Ron DeSantis said “what we’re
protecting here is the industry against acts of man, against an ideological
agenda that wants to finger agriculture as the problem, that views things like
raising cattle as destroying our climate.”
Florida is the only place in North
America with a ban like this.
The new law takes effect July 1.
Though it strictly bans and penalizes the manufacture, transport,
commercialization and sale of cultivated meat, it does allow pure scientific
research into cultivated meat.
Florida Agriculture Commissioner
Wilton Simpson, Florida Senator Jay Collins and Dale Carlton, the
president-elect of the Florida Cattleman Association, also spoke during the
press conference, celebrating the new law.
The bill initially passed the Senate on Feb. 29 in a
29-10 vote, then passed the House on March 6 in
an 86-27 vote. The bill was transmitted to the Governor on
April 30, giving him 15 days to sign or veto the bill. DeSantis signed it
within 24 hours of receipt.
