New Florida residents Jeff Bezos and his fiancée Lauren Sanchez are selling sustainable protein products, including “cultured meat,” just before Gov. Ron DeSantis banned the sale of artificial meat in the Sunshine State. announced an initial investment of $60 million.
Mr. DeSantis signed a bill called SB 1084, which goes into effect May 1, to force the world to eat lab-grown meat and insects, which are “overlooked sources of protein.” The report said it positioned the bill as a way to thwart the World Economic Forum’s goal of coercion.be news release.
Rather, “Florida is increasing meat production and encouraging residents to continue consuming and enjoying 100% real Florida beef,” the governor’s office added.
Mr. DeSantis previously denounced “the global elite’s plan to force the world to eat meat and insects grown in petri dishes to achieve their authoritarian goals.”
The move comes about a month after the Bezos Earth Fund, chaired by the Amazon founder and Sanchez, announced major investments in sustainable proteins, including plant-based fermented and cultured meat. I was disappointed. This is part of the organization’s larger $1 billion food expansion initiative. production, luck Previously reported.
“We need to feed 10 billion people with healthy, sustainable food throughout this century while protecting the planet. We can do it, but it will take a ton of innovation.” Sanchez he wrote. statement Announcing a $60 million investment.
Lab-grown meat differs from slaughter-free meat, such as from Impossible Foods, in that it is grown from real animal cells that have been scientifically replicated, so there is no need to farm animals. .
Meanwhile, vegan proteins like Impossible Burger and Beyond Meat are made using alternative protein sources like tempeh, tofu, seitan, and beans.
According to a scientific journal scientific americanLast June, the U.S. Department of Agriculture first approved cell-cultured meat produced by two companies, Good Meat and Upside Foods, but only after the Food and Drug Administration declared both companies’ products safe to eat. It hadn’t even been a year.
For reference, Fortune magazine, citing the Florida Beef Council, ranks Florida 13th in the U.S. in cattle numbers, with a total of 88 out of 15,000 beef producers. 6,000 head, with total sales of $546 million.
Good Meat was already selling farmed chicken in Singapore before receiving U.S. approval. The dish made its American debut under the direction of renowned chef Jose Andrés at his Chilcano restaurant in Washington, D.C.
Nonprofit Good Food Institute report Fortune magazine says the cultured meat industry has grown to include more than 150 companies with $2.6 billion in investment, and Bezos is among those funding the sector. It was reported.
Mr. Bezos and Mr. DeSantis’ conflict over the lab-grown meat industry came to light shortly after the 60-year-old tech billionaire moved from Seattle, near Amazon’s headquarters, to Miami, near the home of space exploration company Blue Origin.
In October 2023, it was revealed that Bezos had purchased two mansions on Florida’s exclusive “Billionaire Bunker” (a man-made island officially known as Indian Creek Island).
Last month, he added a third multimillion-dollar property to his vast Miami portfolio in an off-market deal reportedly worth $90 million.
Sources familiar with the matter told The Post that while Mr. Bezos will make his new acquisition his home, he will also maintain two properties he previously owned on the island, a $79 million home and a The plan is to coordinate the demolition of the property (including a $68 million adjoining property).
