
Florida ban on lab-grown meat comes after Bezos invests millions in industry
By Jack Aylmer (Anchor), Evan Hummel (Producer), Zachary Hill (Video Editor)
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On Wednesday, May 1, Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., signed a bill outlawing the manufacturing and distribution of lab-grown meat, making Florida the first state to ban it. Despite the product not being available in stores yet, other states are following suit.
“Take your fake lab-grown meat elsewhere,” DeSantis declared. “We’re not doing that in the state of Florida.”

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Lab-grown meat is a meat alternative made from animal stem cells, cultivated in a laboratory environment to mimic the taste and texture of conventional meat. Despite its potential benefits — including reduced environmental impact — lab-grown meat faces skepticism.
Jeff Bezos recently relocated to Florida and invested millions of dollars in lab-grown meat development, echoing the sentiments of the World Economic Forum, which sees it as the future of food.
While some believe lab-grown meat could revolutionize the food industry, others — like DeSantis — argue it threatens traditional agriculture. Similar debates are brewing in other states like Alabama, Arizona and Tennessee, where bills banning lab-grown meat are under consideration.
In addition to critics, lab-grown meat still faces challenges, including its taste, safety and affordability. While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has deemed it safe to eat, some critics remain unconvinced.
As for availability, lab-grown meat is not yet on supermarket shelves in the U.S., with production limited to select restaurants.
[JACK AYLMER]
RON DESANTIS HAS A BEEF WITH MAN-MADE MEAT.
THE FLORIDA GOVERNOR MADE HIS STATE THE FIRST TO BAN LAB-GROWN MEAT LAST WEEK.
SIGNING THE BAN INTO LAW…
AND DECLARED.
[GOV. RON DESANTIS]
“TAKE YOUR FAKE LAB-GROWN MEAT ELSEWHERE… WE’RE NOT DOING THAT IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA.”
[JACK AYLMER]
BUT WHAT EXACTLY IS LAB-GROWN MEAT?
IT’S A MEAT ALTERNATIVE MADE FROM ANIMAL STEM CELLS CULTIVATED IN A LAB.
IT MIMICS THE TASTE AND TEXTURE OF CONVENTIONAL MEAT.
THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM SEES IT AS THE FUTURE.
AND SO DOES NEW FLORIDA RESIDENT JEFF BEZOS.
THE THIRD RICHEST MAN IN THE WORLD IS INVESTING MILLIONS IN ITS DEVELOPMENT.
ADVOCATES SAY IT WILL REDUCE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT.
PROMOTES ANIMAL WELFARE AND WOULD HELP SOLVE FOOD INSECURITY…
AS THE WORLD POPULATION GROWS.
HEALTH ADVOCATES ALSO SAY IT REDUCES THE RISK OF FOODBORNE ILLNESS.
WHILE SOME BELIEVE LAB-GROWN MEAT COULD REVOLUTIONIZE THE FOOD INDUSTRY, OTHERS LIKE DESANTIS, ARGUE IT THREATENS TRADITIONAL AGRICULTURE.
DESANTIS CLAIMS IT’S AN ATTEMPT BY ENVIRONMENTALISTS TO BLAME CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE CATTLE INDUSTRY.
SIMILAR DEBATES ARE BREWING IN OTHER STATES LIKE ALABAMA, ARIZONA AND TENNESSEE, WHERE BILLS BANNING LAB-GROWN MEAT ARE UNDER CONSIDERATION.
LAB GROWN MEAT STILL FACES CHALLENGES, INCLUDING TASTE, SAFETY AND AFFORDABILITY.
WHILE THE FDA HAS DEEMED IT SAFE TO EAT, CRITICS REMAIN UNCONVINCED.
AS FOR AVAILABILITY, LAB-GROWN MEAT IS NOT YET ON SUPERMARKET SHELVES IN THE U.S.
WITH SALES LIMITED TO SELECT RESTAURANTS.
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