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    DeSantis Bans Lab-Grown Meat in Florida: A Stand Against ESG and Defense of Traditional Agriculture

    Today, Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida has signed a bill that prohibits the sale of lab-grown meat in the state. During a news conference, DeSantis criticized the World Economic Forum’s advocacy for alternative protein sources like lab-grown meat and insects, positioning the legislation as a defense of traditional agriculture and consumer choice.

    The new law, SB 1084, aligns with DeSantis’s opposition to the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles, which he argues promote investment in companies based on their environmental and social impacts, a philosophy he associates with broader global warming initiatives like the Green New Deal.

    The cultivation of lab-grown meat, approved by agencies like the FDA and USDA for companies including Good Meat Inc. and Upside Foods, is part of a broader effort to find environmentally sustainable food sources. Lab-grown meat is produced from animal cells and formed into products such as burger patties and chicken nuggets. While proponents highlight its potential to reduce the environmental footprint compared to traditional meat production, a recent study from the University of California, Davis, suggests that the energy requirements for producing lab-grown meat might offset its benefits. This study is still under review and has sparked further debate on the environmental impact of lab-grown meats.

    Governor DeSantis’s action reflects a growing debate over food technology and its role in environmental and agricultural policies.

    Here are some quotes from today’s speech about the bill:

    “They want to eliminate meat production […] They want to create protein in laboratories.”

    “We stand with agriculture. We stand with the cattle ranchers, we stand with our farmers.”

    “Take your fake lab-grown meat elsewhere. We’re not doing that in the state of Florida.”

    “An ideological agenda that wants to finger agriculture as the problem […] People who will lecture the rest of us about things like global warming, [meanwhile] they’re flying to Davos in their private jets.”

    “Those policies are dead on arrival in the state of Florida.”

    You can watch the full speech below