In a significant move, Florida State lawmakers, State Sen. Jay Collins and State Rep. Danny Alvarez, have introduced legislative proposals (SB 1084 and HB 1071) aimed at reinforcing the state’s agricultural sector. A key focus of these bills is the regulation of cultivated meat.
The proposed legislation would render the manufacture, sale, delivery, holding, or offering of ‘cultivated meat’ for human consumption illegal in Florida. Although these bills have not yet been assigned to committees, they are expected to be considered when the legislative session resumes on January 9.
State Rep. Danny Alvarez emphasised the importance of the agriculture industry in Florida, stating, “Florida’s agriculture industry is not only the backbone of our economy, [but] it is critical to our food security and the future prosperity of our state and nation. I’m proud to stand with Florida’s farmers and ranchers with this important legislation that supports and defends their way of life.”
These bills, supported by Florida State Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, come shortly after a similar bill (HB 435) was introduced by Florida House Republican Ryler Sirois in November. While the language regarding cultivated meat in these new bills is largely similar to Sirois’ bill, they also encompass a range of other agricultural protections.
Key aspects of the bills include criminal penalties for trespassing on commercial agricultural property, a ban on the harvest, transport, processing, or purchase of saw palmetto berries, recognition of 4H and Future Farmers of America activities as excused absences in Florida schools, and relaxed regulations for renewing professional and concealed weapon licence.
This legislative development follows just six months after the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced that Upside Foods and Good Meat had completed the pre-market regulatory review process for cultivated meat. These companies have since started selling their products in restaurants in California and Washington, D.C.
The proposed bills reflect a growing debate over cultivated meat and its place in the agricultural landscape, highlighting the balance between innovation in food technology and the protection of traditional agricultural practices.