Sen. Jay Collins’ bill ‘puts money back’ in pockets of farmers, agriculture producers
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Sen. Jay Collins, R-Tampa, said on top of cracking down on cultivated meat in Florida, his new legislation helps “put money back in the pockets” of farmers and agricultural producers.
On Florida’s Voice with Brendon Leslie, Collins said his bill, SB 1084, aims to stabilize, revitalize and grow agriculture in the state. His propsal has passed one of its three committee assignments so far.
The senator said that Floridian farmers in the agricultural community currently face a “hard economic reality right now.”
”We have to fight relentlessly to make sure that this economic modeling works,” Collins said.
He said the bill also “pushes back” on the consumer services side, such as not allowing municipalities to dedicate a large percent of their parking lots to electric vehicles.
“Sometimes you have to go ahead and do this and make sure the common sense rules,” Collins said. “That’s what this bill is about.”
Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a press conference recently that he opposes the promotion of lab-grown meat in Florida.
Discussing his opposition to implanting an environmental agenda on farmers, the governor noted that lawmakers are working through legislation to ban lab-grown meat production.
“You need meat. OK?” DeSantis said. “We’re gonna have meat in Florida.”
Collins said he “loves the fact” that the governor highlighted this.
“It is a surrealistic nightmare when we look at the lack of study, the lack of efficacy, the cost and the public safety concerns with it,” Collins said. “I’m proud of what our governor did. I stand by his decision to do that.”
Collins said there is “no way to prove or ensure” the public safety in regards to lab-grown meat because there hasn’t been a long term study.
“Primarily, we have to look out for the welfare of Floridians and this bill does that and I’m so proud to stand by this amazing team of people who are standing up for Florida right now,” he said.
Collins’ bill is part of an agriculture package that lawmakers are working on. Rep. Danny Alvarez, R-Riverview, is the sponsor of an identical bill in the House, HB 1071, which passed through one of its three committee assignments so far.
Rep. Tyler Sirois, R-Merritt Island, is the sponsor for HB 435, regarding banning lab-grown meat. The legislation has so far passed one subcommittee in the House and has two more to go.
Sen. Clay Yarborough, R-Jacksonville, is the sponsor for SB 586, which also cracks down on lab-grown meat. That bill has not been taken up by any of its committee assignments yet.
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson has been working with lawmakers to crack down on the lab-grown meat, along with farmer tax breaks and other measures.
Collins said Simpson and Alvarez have been “wonderful to work with.”
“To have good people all aligned on this from the governor, to Wilton Simpson, to myself, and Danny Alvarez, what an absolute blessing,” Collins said.
The senator discussed how agriculture is such a “huge part” of Florida and makes up 50% of the economy.
“It is vital to who we were, who we are right now, but most importantly, it’s vital to who we’re going to be as a state,” Collins said.
“If we can’t feed ourselves, we can’t feed our nation, we lose so much security,” he continued. “So, food security is national security. We talk about that all the time and this is fundamentally valid and true.”
Collins said if Florida agriculture is not preserved, “we’re gonna lose it.”
He said when he was first elected into the Florida Senate, there were 53 dairy farms in the state and said he believes there are now 51. To compare, he said five years ago there were 106 and 10 years ago there were over 260.
“You see this degradation of agriculture across the state, we have to stand up and preserve agriculture right now,” Collins said. “And I’m so proud of the leadership in Florida for fighting together to do just that.”
