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cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/14977351
Ron DeSantis bans ‘global elite’ lab-grown meat
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has banned lab-grown meat, saying he will “save our beef” from the “global elite” and its “authoritarian plans”.
“Florida is fighting back against the global elite’s plan to force the world to eat meat grown in a petri dish or bugs,” Mr DeSantis said in a statement.
The first-in-the-nation law prohibits anyone from selling or distributing lab-grown meat in Florida.
Similar efforts are under way in Alabama, Arizona and Tennessee.
Lab-grown or “cultivated” meat was first cleared for consumption in the US in 2022.
The process of making cultivated meat involves extracting cells from an animal, which are then fed with nutrients such as proteins, sugars and fats. The end product is genetically indistinguishable from traditionally produced meat.
Studies have suggested that eating cultivated meat can cut carbon emissions and water usage, and free up land for nature, compared to eating traditionally produced meat.
Florida has a big animal agriculture sector. I wouldn’t be surprised if Texas and a few of the central midwestern states follow suit. There’s a ton of money in the land and machinery used in mass producing ground beef, and if you can just lab grow it at a fraction of the price you’re going to kick out the struts on a central revenue stream for 20th century factory farming.
So long as he can get a kickback from someone who profits from frowns.
Florida way down on the list for beef production, even further down on a per capita basis. Texas produces about twice as much as the next handful of states. Nebraska is a strong second for head of cattle, and 90% of the agriculture in Nebraska is tied directly to the beef industry, either in feed, slaughter, or raising.
Banning lab grown meat isn’t on the radar here.
Desantis is just pandering. Pandering is what they do.
Unfortunately, you don’t need to be high on the list of producers, just lobbyists. And I believe the state legislator who submitted the law was himself a cattle rancher.