Florida Bans Lab-Grown Meat, Adding to Similar Efforts in Three Other States

Producing real meat without harming animals or the environment is no fantasy. Thirty cultivated meat startups, five of them Israeli, have emerged over the past seven years. Giant industry players such as Tyson are investing in this quest. …

State Rep. Tyler Sirois has proposed legislation that would make it a criminal offense to sell ”cultivated” meat in Florida, claiming that it’s an “affront to nature and creation” and the latest front in the “ESG agenda” — referring to environmental, social and corporate governance, which has been target of Gov. Ron DeSantis and Republican state leaders. …

Private investment in lab-grown meat is soaring as companies chase the promise of boundless — and delicious — nuggets, steaks and burgers cultured in vitro rather than reared on the hoof. But funding for academic research on lab-grown meat has lagged behind, and some researchers say that it is sorely needed. …