There is uncertainty surrounding whether alternative protein products, such as “lab-grown,” “cell-cultivated,” or “cultured” meat, will deliver the environmental benefits claimed by advocates or become competitive with traditional poultry, beef, and pork in terms of appeal and affordability. Despite this uncertainty, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has taken a firm stance, deeming these products so unappealing that their sale should be prohibited.
Last week, DeSantis signed the nation’s first ban on cultivated meat, stating that he was resisting the global elite’s agenda to promote meat grown in labs or insects to achieve their authoritarian objectives. This peculiar interpretation portrays legal restrictions on consumer choices as a form of resistance against authoritarianism, showcasing how right-wing signaling, combined with protectionism, can compromise conservative principles by turning everyday activities like grocery shopping into political issues.
The technology that has sparked Governor DeSantis’ concerns, developed in 2013, utilizes cell samples to cultivate meat in bioreactors, eliminating the need for animal raising and slaughter. While over 150 companies worldwide are working on such products, they have only been approved for sale in Singapore and the United States, where their availability has been limited to select restaurants in San Francisco and Washington, D.C.
Despite the limited distribution, DeSantis views the emerging industry as a significant enough threat to warrant criminalization. His references to mandatory insect consumption and “fake meat” underscore the core of his objections.
In DeSantis’ view, a global elite is conspiring to eliminate traditional meat consumption based on questionable environmental concerns, leaving consumers with unappetizing alternatives like insects and synthetic meat. He cites a 2021 World Economic Forum article endorsing insects as a protein source, which he interprets as part of a broader plan to push lab-grown meat and insects on the world.
While the article makes no mention of coercion, DeSantis associates progressive elites with alternative protein sources, providing him with justification to ban federally approved food products.
Despite his Ivy League education and legal background, DeSantis adopts a populist stance aimed at appealing to Republican voters who may be swayed by his juxtaposition of coercion against freedom. Additionally, he aligns with established economic interests by vowing to safeguard locally produced “100% real Florida beef.”
One of the local ranchers supported by DeSantis, Republican legislator Dean Black, argues that “cultured meat” is man-made, while real meat is divinely created. Black acknowledges the potential utility of synthetic meat for space travel but asserts that it should not be available within the country.
DeSantis’ rationale mirrors Black’s perspective: if he does not approve of these products, they should not be accessible to consumers. This approach contradicts DeSantis’ portrayal of Florida as a “freedom oasis” with a “business-friendly environment.”
Opposing the ban on cultivated meat, Representative Anna Eskamani emphasizes the importance of the free market, personal choices, competition, and innovation. She warns against protectionism and corporate influence, advocating for a hands-off approach to market regulation.
These values are typically associated with Republican ideals, but politicians like DeSantis seem to have strayed from them, entangled in a culture war that politicizes every aspect of society.
© Copyright 2024 by Creators Syndicate Inc.
