Lab-grown meat is meat developed from animal stem cells. It has been the subject of $3 billion in investment capital between 2016 and 2022, and as many as 60 startups are in the industry. But it won't be manufactured or distributed in Florida. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis recently signed a bill outlawing what he described as “fake, lab-grown meat.” The new law does not include similar prohibitions for plant-based meat alternatives.

Anyone who has read my prior posts knows that I am personally not a fan of lab-grown meat. But the reason for my position is based upon my reading of the literature on its science and sustainability – neither of which, in my view, supports the widespread production of meat from animal stem cells. What is curious to me is that the Florida legislation does not seem to be predicated on a similar foundation. It does not appear to be based upon safety concerns, since FDA and USDA have been actively involved in overseeing the safety of this product for over three years. And it cannot be because the meat is “fake,” as the Governor suggests, or the law would also ban other non-animal-based meats, like those derived from plants.

So why is a state that openly touts individual freedom and liberty banning this product? Some say it is politics, others say it is unsubstantiated fear. The real question in my mind is will other states follow Florida's lead or will this legislation be an outlier?