Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation on Wednesday banning the manufacture and sale of lab-grown meat in Florida.

WAUCHULA, Fla. – SB 1084 prohibits and creates penalties for the manufacturing, sale or distribution of cultivated meat in the state.
It also preempt the regulation of electric vehicle charging stations to the state and prohibits local governments from implementing their own policies.
Additionally, the legislation provides regulations for the destruction, harvesting and sale of saw palmetto berries.
The new law also bolsters state provisions on charging suspects with trespassing on commercial agricultural land, one provision touted by Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson on Wednesday.
DeSantis explained during a press conference how organizations like the World Economic Forum are pushing their ideological positions against the agriculture industry.
“These will be people who lecture us about things like global warming, they will say that you can’t drive an internal combustion engine vehicle, they’ll say that agriculture’s bad, meanwhile, they’re flying to Davos in their private jets,” he said.
“So this is really a vision of imposing restrictions on freedoms for everyday people, while these elites are effectively pulling the stings, calling the shots and doing whatever the hell they want to do in their own lives,” he added.
The governor said that policies pushed by the World Economic Forum are “dead on arrival” in the state of Florida.
He added that the organization’s emphasis on promoting cultivated meat is not because of market competition.
“Because they know if that was put out their to compete with normal beef, that they would lose,” he said.
“So I recognize some of these threats that we’re seeing from some of these elites throughout the world, in places like Davos,” he added. “I understand that they put a target on the back of agriculture,” DeSantis added. “We stand with agriculture, with with ranchers, we stand with our farmers, because we understand it’s important for the backbone of the state, it’s important for our culture, it’s important for our heritage.”
Simpson spoke in favor of the legislation and thanked the governor for signing it.
“Who wants to have biomass shipped to their house, put in a tank, grown in a lab and then put it through a 3D printer to make it look like a steak that you want to eat?” he jokingly asked. “Well, we’re not gonna do that in Florida.”
Dale Carlton, the president-elect of the Florida Cattleman Association, spoke on how the legislation would specifically help the state’s cattlemen and ranchers.
“We thank you for passing strong legislation that protects this industry and the citizens of our great state,” he said.
The current president of the association said that the bill “cemented” the governor’s commitment to standing with Florida’s cattle industry.
Sen. Jay Collins, R-Tampa, the main sponsor of the legislation, spoke on how important the bill was, coming from a farming family background.
He explained how his family lost their farm due to Democratic policies in the state.
“Here’s what I don’t want to have happen. I can’t stand idly by and watch that happen to other people in our great state of Florida,” he said.
“It’s amazing to have leadership in Governor DeSantis, Commissioner Simpson and so many others fighting tooth and nail for our agriculture,” he said.
Along with Collins, the bill was sponsored by Rep. Danny Alvarez, R-Riverview.
It’s set to go into effect on July 1.

https://flvoicenews.com/desantis-signs-bill-banning-lab-grown-meat-bolstering-agriculture/

Democrats Push to Hide Insects in American Food Supply.
Democrats are fighting to keep insects hidden in food products to be consumed by the American general public.

In Minnesota, state Senate Democrats blocked an amendment that would have required foods containing insects to be labeled.
Republicans are arguing that insects should be listed in the ingredients of food products to inform consumers.
However, for reasons that are not immediately clear, Democrats are pushing to keep bugs a hidden ingredient.
Last week, the Minnesota Senate passed S.F. 4225 – an omnibus agriculture policy bill.
The legislation was mostly related to taxes for farmers in the state.
However, before the bill was passed, Sen. Torrey Westrom (R-Alexandria) introduced a commonsense amendment for food labeling.
The amendment would require food to be properly labeled if it contains either insect products or artificial “cell-cultured” food like lab-grown meat.
In a statement about the move, Westrom said:
“This just sets forth that if there’s bugs in your food for protein, cricket flour, whatever it is, it needs to be labeled.
“The consumers need to know.
“If your meat is cell-cultured and grown in a petri dish, you also need to know.
“Consumers should have that knowledge as they shop in the stores.”
Republican colleague Sen. Jim Abeler echoed Westrom’s remarks.
Abeler argues that the amendment is a “no-brainer.”
“Let’s tell people what’s in their food that some people don’t even consider to be food,” he said.
“Just because there’s no money in the bill doesn’t mean we can’t establish a policy.”
However, the bill’s Democrat author Sen. Aric Putnam,(D-St. Cloud) shot down the proposal.
Putnam insists that, although “consumers should know what they are consuming,” the issue of labeling insect parts in products was a “future problem.”
He falsely claimed (LIED) that insect-based “foods” and lab-grown “meats” are not available yet, and therefore, do not need to be addressed.

“Everybody wants to have consumer awareness of the food that they eat, but some of us want to do it in a thoughtful way,” he said.
“One thing that came from that discussion is that currently there is only one space in the entire country that is selling cell-cultivated meat and that was a restaurant in San Francisco that has already stopped doing it,” Putnam added.
Democrats united on the issue to ensure Westrom’s amendment was ultimately defeated in a 33-34 vote.
The move comes amid mounting pressure to flood the American food supply with insects and lab-grown products.
As Slay News reported, a group of experts recently published a report that raises the alarm about Democrat President Joe Biden’s coming policies for complying with the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) “Net Zero” agenda.
According to the report from The Buckeye Institute, the Biden administration is pushing policies that seek to eliminate the farming industry and drastically alter the American food supply.
In order to meet the WEF’s “Net Zero” targets, the Biden admin seeks to eliminate meat and dairy products from the food supply.
The policies aim to replace traditionally farmed products with plant-derived alternatives, lab-grown “meats,” and insect-based “foods.”
Under the plans, the organic agriculture industry would mostly be eliminated with the gaps in the food supply filled up with manufactured products.
Of course, meat and dairy products won’t be completely banned.
However, the cost of producing these foods will be so high that they will become a luxury that only the wealthy will enjoy, much like private jet use.
The report, released on February 7, found that the climate policies and mandates are guided by the “environmental, social, and governance” (ESG) agenda.
These policies being pushed by the Biden administration carry a hefty price tag for American farmers and consumers.
“To better appreciate the true costs that American farms and households will likely pay for the Biden administration’s net-zero policies and objectives, The Buckeye Institute’s Economic Research Center developed a model corn farm that must play by the government’s new carbon emission rules,” wrote the authors.
“The farm’s operational costs, as expected, all rose significantly,” they added.
Crunching the numbers, the researchers found that U.S. farmers will see their operational costs rise by an estimated 34 percent as a result of the Biden administration’s “Net Zero” emissions policies.

https://slaynews.com/news/democrats-push-hide-insects-american-food-supply/

Legislature passes bill to ban lab-grown meat, heads to DeSantis’ desk.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis will consider official approval for a bill that bans lab-grown meat, preempts electric vehicle regulations to the state and more as part of an agriculture legislative package.

The Florida House of Representatives passed the bill Wednesday 86-27.
SB 1084 was sponsored by Sen. Jay Collins, R-Tampa. The House version was sponsored by by Rep. Danny Alvarez, R-Riverview.
Collins’ legislation prohibits and creates penalties for the manufacturing, sale or distribution of cultivated meat in the state.
It would also preempt the regulation of electric vehicle charging stations to the state and prohibit local governments from implementing their own policies.
Additionally, the legislation provides regulations for the destruction, harvesting and sale of saw palmetto berries.
If signed, it takes effect July 1.
Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, attempted to amend the bill by adding language to allow the sale of lab-grown meat, so long as its packaging clearly labels what it is.
Rep. Lindsey Cross, D-St. Petersburg argued that the bill would harm the state’s economy by putting barriers on the free market.
Rep. Dean Black, R-Jacksonville, explained that, as a cattleman, the bill does an appropriate job by protecting Floridians from cultivated meats.
“Cultured meat is not meat,” he said. “It comes from a single cellular source. They actually can develop several lines of cells, but it in no way represents the actual chemistry of meat.”
“Cultured meat is made by man. Real meat is made by God Himself,” Black added.
Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson complimented the sponsors of the legislation and the impact that the bill would make.
“Food security is national security, and we all have a responsibility to ensure Floridians have access to a safe, affordable, and abundant food supply,” he said. “This legislation is a reflection of our continued commitment to supporting and protecting Florida’s farmers, ranchers, and growers and enhancing consumer protection and transparency,.”
“Thanks to the leadership of Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, House Speaker Paul Renner, Senator Jay Collins, and Representative Danny Alvarez, Florida is supporting our future farmers’ 4-H and FFA activities, prohibiting the sale of lab-grown meat, and expanding safeguards for agricultural producers and consumers – ultimately creating a stronger, safer, and more prosperous Florida,” he said.
DeSantis reaffirmed his opposition to lab-grown meat during a press conference in early February.
“You need meat. OK?” the governor said. “We’re gonna have meat in Florida.”
“We’re not gonna have fake meat? That doesn’t work,” he said. “We’re gonna make sure to do it right.”

https://twitter.com/FLVoiceNews/status/1753441146749988881?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1753441146749988881%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fflvoicenews.com%2Flegislature-passes-bill-to-ban-lab-grown-meat-heads-to-desantis-desk%2F

https://flvoicenews.com/legislature-passes-bill-to-ban-lab-grown-meat-heads-to-desantis-desk/

 In U.S., 4% Identify as Vegetarian, 1% as Vegan.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Gallup’s latest Consumption Habits poll finds 4% of Americans saying they are vegetarian and 1% vegan, in terms of their eating preferences. These figures are similar to what Gallup has measured previously, including in 2012 and 2018.
The July 3-27 poll update suggests there may have been a slight decline in vegetarianism compared with the earliest readings in 1999 and 2001, when 6% identified that way.
There is a small degree of overlap in identification as vegetarian and vegan, as less than 1% of U.S. adults say they are both vegetarian and vegan. That is about what Gallup has found historically, but most vegetarians and vegans identify as only one or the other.
In prior reports, Gallup found that political liberals and lower-income adults were among the subgroups most likely to be vegetarian, and that remains the case in the latest update. Nine percent of liberals today are vegetarian, higher than in any other key subgroup Gallup analyzed, and three times the rate of political moderates and conservatives.
Meanwhile, lower-income Americans (7%) are about twice as likely as middle- (4%) and upper-income (3%) Americans to be vegetarians.
Additionally, women (6%) are more likely than men (2%) to say they eat a vegetarian diet.
Bottom Line
Plant-based meat-substitute food products are becoming more commonplace in grocery stores and restaurants. In 2019, Gallup found that half of Americans were familiar with such products, and four in 10 had tried them. Americans who reported a reduction in their meat consumption typically cited health and environmental reasons for doing so. But these changes have not been met with an increase in Americans’ adoption of vegetarian or vegan diets, as less than 5% of U.S. adults follow either eating approach.

https://news.gallup.com/poll/510038/identify-vegetarian-vegan.aspx

DeSantis backs legislation to ban lab-grown meat in Florida.
BOWLING GREEN, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a press conference Friday that he opposes the promulgation of lab-grown meat in Florida.

Discussing his opposition to implanting an environmental agenda on farmers, the governor noted that lawmakers are working through legislation to ban lab-grown meat production.
“You need meat. OK?” the governor said. “We’re gonna have meat in Florida.”
“We’re gonna have fake meat? That doesn’t work,” he said. “We’re gonna make sure to do it right.”

https://twitter.com/FLVoiceNews/status/1753441146749988881?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1753441146749988881%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fflvoicenews.com%2Fdesantis-backs-bill-to-crack-down-on-lab-grown-meat-in-florida-you-need-meat%2F

Rep. Tyler Sirois, R-Merritt Island, is the sponsor for HB 435. The legislation has so far passed one subcommittee in the House and has two more to go.
Sen. Clay Yarborough, R-Jacksonville, is the sponsor for SB 586. That bill has not been taken up by any of its committee assignments yet.
A bill by Sen. Jay Collins, R-Tampa, SB 1084, also would crack down on lab-grown meat, with other provisions included. It has passed one of its three committee assignments so far.
Rep. Danny Alvarez, R-Riverview, is the sponsor for the companion bill, HB 1071. That bill has passed one of its three committees.

https://flvoicenews.com/desantis-backs-bill-to-crack-down-on-lab-grown-meat-in-florida-you-need-meat/

 Florida lawmaker files bill prohibiting lab-grown meat.

MERRITT ISLAND, Fla. – Rep. Tyler Sirois, R-Merritt Island, filed a bill this week for the 2024 Legislative Session that would ban the manufacturing and sale of cultivated meat, also called lab-grown meat.
As outlined in the bill, “cultivated meat” is defined as any meat or food product produced from cultured animal cells.
Under HB 435, it would be illegal to manufacture, sell or distribute cultivated meat in Florida.
Restaurant, business, or store owners found to be in violation of the law are subject to having their licenses revoked upon conviction. The act also applies to employees found to have broken the law.
If convicted, violators face a second degree misdemeanor. An immediate stop-sale order also would be initiated.
Under the proposal, the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Services is authorized to adopt the rules.
If passed, HB 435 would take effect upon becoming law.

https://flvoicenews.com/florida-lawmaker-files-bill-prohibiting-lab-grown-meat/

Italy's parliament approves ban on lab-grown food amid tensions.

 

ROME, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Italy's lower house of parliament gave final approval for a law banning the use of laboratory-produced food and animal feed on Thursday as angry farmers confronted a group of centrist lawmakers opposed to the bill.
The proposal, already approved by the upper house Senate, passed by 159 votes in favour to 53 against, prohibiting the use, sale, import and export of food and feed "from cell cultures or tissue derived from vertebrate animals".
Factories breaching such rules can be subject to fines of up to 150,000 euros ($162,700) and risk being shut down, while owners may lose their right to obtain public funding for up to three years.
The bill also bans the use of meat terms to sell plant-based meat alternatives.
“Words like ‘tofu steak’ or ‘veg prosciutto’ . . . reveal an inappropriate phenomenon of using labels traditionally associated with meat to sell products with vegetable protein,” the bill’s text reads, as translated by the Financial Times.
The proposal of Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida, a close aide of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, is seen as part of a broader bid by the rightist coalition to safeguard tradition.
As the debate in parliament was under way, tensions erupted between demonstrators from agricultural lobby group Coldiretti and two opposition lawmakers, one of whom claimed the president of the lobby group, Ettore Prandini, had assaulted him.
"I believe it is subversive that the president of Coldiretti believes he can assault a lawmaker," lawmaker Benedetto Della Vedova said, adding he would report Prandini to police. Della Vedova appeared to have been pushed in the chest in the incident but was not hurt.
Prandini told Reuters the lawmakers had provoked the farmers with offensive banners, and played down the confrontation.
The +Europa party and other opposition groups depicted the right-wing's administration move as an attempt to please farmers and breeders' lobbies, as lab-grown food is not yet available in the European Union.
Critics of the bill say producing meat without breeding animals would limit greenhouse gas emissions and provide an option for consumers who would appreciate eating a product that does not involve slaughter.
The opposition warned the government risked breaching EU single market rules by unilaterally banning the product in case the bloc ever decided to make lab food available.
Minister Lollobrigida reiterated the ban was needed to protect the food industry.

 

 
https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/italys-parliament-approves-ban-lab-grown-food-amid-tensions-2023-11-16/

Fake Meat - Just Say NO !