Sens. Jay Collins and Clay Yarborough and Reps. Danny Alvarez and Tyler Sirois of Florida recently introduced bills that would preemptively ban the sale of cell-cultured meat in the state, so PETA fired off letters today to the lawmakers proposing that they name the ridiculous proposals “Special Interests’ Dirty Habits Retention Act of 2024” to reflect their true purpose—propping up special interest groups at the expense of animals’ lives and humans’ health. The group notes that, better yet, the lawmakers should scrap the bills and instead work to ensure that all Floridians know how filthy and cruel factory farming is and have access to fresh and delicious vegan foods.

“These bonehead bills aim to appease the declining meat industry that’s terrified of losing more customers,” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk. “This would be funny, given that in vitro meat is years away from the market, but it’s also tragic when Florida lawmakers want to push an unhealthy, environmentally destructive, and extremely cruel food on their constituents just to curry favor with their donors in animal agriculture.”

PETA notes that billions of cows, pigs, and chickens—intelligent, sensitive individuals who feel pain and fear—endure short, miserable lives in the meat industry, which subjects them to extreme crowding, routine mutilations without pain relief, a terrifying trip to the slaughterhouse, and a violent, painful death in which their throats may be slit while they’re still conscious. Animal agriculture also wreaks havoc on the environment, as the meat industry is one of the world’s largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow the group on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, or Instagram.

PETA’s letter to Collins follows. Letters to Yarborough, Alvarez, and Sirois are available upon request.

February 15, 2024

The Honorable Jay Collins
Florida State Senate

Dear Senator Collins:

I’m writing on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals—PETA entities have more than 9 million members and supporters globally, including hundreds of thousands in Florida. It’s come to our attention that you have introduced SB 1084 to bar anyone in the state from what should be their right to obtain in vitro meat, if it should ever become available. In the interests of transparency, we suggest that you rename your bill the “Special Interests’ Dirty Habits Retention Act of 2024”—because that’s truly what it is.

Or better yet, scrap this boneheaded bill and redirect your efforts to ensuring that every Floridian knows exactly how filthy and cruel factory farming is and how they can enjoy fresh, delicious vegan foods right now, no wait, and without supporting, as your bill does, cruelty to animals.

Despite your fears, cell-cultured meat may never materialize, but we need to give meat the boot right now.

Animal agriculture is wreaking havoc on the environment—including the increasing intensity of storms and hurricanes ravaging Florida’s coasts. The meat industry is one of the world’s largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation, and I hope our suggestion to name this bill inspires you to think hard about the favoritism being afforded to special interests that aren’t in the best interests of Floridians and other humans around the planet.

Otherwise, shame on you.

Sincerely,

Ingrid Newkirk
President