CULT Food Science Pens Open Letter to Florida Government Opposing Cultivated Meat Ban
July 4, 2024
https://vegconomist.com/cultivated-cell-cultured-biotechnology/cult-food-science-open-letter-florida-government-cultivated-meat-ban/
The full text of the open letter is as follows:
"The Honorable Ron DeSantis
Governor
The Capitol
400 S. Monroe St.
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0001
The Honorable Paul Renner
Speaker
Room 420
The Capitol
402 S. Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
The Honorable Kathleen Passidomo
Senate President
Room 409
The Capitol
404 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1100
Dear Governor DeSantis; Speaker Renner; and Senate President Passidomo:
The science and evidence around cultivated meat is clear: it is both safe for consumption and environmentally friendly. With more risks than ever to the climate, cultivated meat is no longer an alternative but rather a necessity. Policymakers need to be embracing sustainable protein production and not trying to put up regulatory obstacles towards its adoption. Jeff Bezos and the Bezos Earth Fund recently have made two breakthrough commitments to new facilities aiming to accelerate research and development of cultivated meat at the Imperial College of London and North Carolina State University. The United States military has also recently announced their intent to pursue cultivated meat as a source of protein for troops. The facts are clear: factory farming consumes too much land and produces too many greenhouse gases. And the global demand for meat is growing, not decreasing. That's why cultivated meat is the answer. It is real, genuine animal meat simply made through different production methods. The notion that this meat is fake or unhealthy is simply wrong. The FDA has approved cultivated meat for human consumption and yet policymakers at the State level are trying to impede the progress of this innovative industry. Food production is simply not sustainable if it harms our environment and emits greenhouse gases which are significantly more harmful than carbon dioxide emissions. At CULT Food Science we are dedicated to advancing this critical technology which we believe is one of the most important levers for decarbonizing our planet. The recent bans out of Florida do not represent the views of leading scientists or environmental research, but rather rely on misinformation and trying to slant the public discourse in a negative way. This is a harmful attitude and needs to be seen for what it is, which is protecting the interests of a select few and trying to discredit one of the most exciting areas of biotechnology and food science.
Decisions about what to consume or purchase should be left to the market and consumers, not dictated by legislation that hampers progress and competition. Restricting the sale and production of cultivated meat products denies Floridians access to these innovative products and limits consumer choice. CULT Food Science appreciates the opportunity to provide its perspective regarding this important issue.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
CULT Food Science Corp."
Management Commentary
"We recognize cultivated meat and cellular agriculture are new technologies that many do not yet understand in their entirety. However as one of the few publicly traded companies in the world dedicated to advancing these crucial new innovations to address climate change, land usage and animal welfare, we feel it is important to use our platform and shareholder base to advance science and evidence based discussions around cultivated proteins. We invite an open discussion with any policymakers on this topic and are committed to continuing to advance the cultural conversation around how we shift our agriculture system towards sustainability" said Mitchell Scott, CEO of CULT.
About CULT Food Science
CULT Food Science is a disruptive food technology platform pioneering the commercialization of lab grown meat and cellular agriculture to reshape the global food industry. CULT's robust portfolio of investments in cutting-edge, venture-backed cellular agriculture and lab-grown meat companies provides widespread investor access to the future of food. Backed by a team of experts with extensive experience in food technology and launching consumer food products, CULT is committed to being at the forefront of the food revolution.