Florida's Ban on Lab-Grown Meat Faces Lawsuit, Alleged to be Unconstitutional

TapTechNews August 14th news, the US state of Florida has been sued for its law banning the sale of lab-grown meat. A cultured meat company named UpsideFoods believes that the state's legislation is unconstitutional.

TapTechNews noted that in May this year, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed this ban, stating that the legislation is 'a way to fight back against the plan of the global elite to force the world to eat meat grown in a petri dish or bugs to achieve their autocratic goals.'

On Monday, UpsideFoods and the nonprofit public interest law firm Institute of Justice filed a lawsuit in federal court, alleging that Florida's ban on lab-grown meat is aimed at protecting the state's cattle industry and that the law is unconstitutional. The complaint alleges that SB1084 violates the Supremacy Clause and Commerce Clause of the Constitution, as well as two federal laws on the inspection and distribution of meat and poultry products.

Upside and the Institute of Justice argued that Florida's ban on cultured meat is aimed at protecting the state's cattle industry from out-of-state competition. Upside alleges that the ban therefore violates the 'dormant portion' of the Commerce Clause, which prohibits state protectionism. The complaint points out that at the signing ceremony, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was flanked by cattle ranchers and'spoke at a podium with a sign that read 'Save Our Beef.'

Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson, who is also named as a defendant, called the lawsuit 'ridiculous.' Simpson said in a statement: 'Lab-grown'meat' has not been proven safe enough for consumers, and it is being driven by a libertarian agenda to shutter farms. Food security is a national security issue, and our farmers are the first line of defense. States are the laboratories of democracy, and Florida has the right not to be a corporate guinea pig and leave the Frankenstein meat experiment to California.'

But Upside's complaint alleges that Florida's ban on lab-grown meat is protectionist rather than for food safety, and points to DeSantis' press conference announcing the ban as evidence.

The US Food and Drug Administration said in 2022 that Upside's products are safe to eat, and the US Department of Agriculture approved the sale of Upside's and competitor GoodMeat's products the following year.

Upside believes that Florida's ban has also damaged the company's operations in other parts of the country. Florida's ban on cultured meat is the first in the nation, inspiring nationwide emulation. Alabama banned lab-grown meat in May, but the legislation will take effect in October. Legislators in Arizona, Kentucky, Iowa, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia have also proposed similar bans.

Upside demands that the court declare Florida's cultured meat ban unconstitutional and issue a preliminary and permanent injunction against the law.