Sen. Jay Collins talks agriculture, farmer tax breaks, banning lab-grown meat

TAMPA, Fla. – Sen. Jay Collins, R-Tampa, spoke on Florida’s Voice with Brendon Leslie about some of his agricultural priorities for the 2024 legislative session, including a farmer tax break and banning lab-grown meat.

“We got to make sure that we put money in the hands of our farmers and they get to keep as much as they can,” Collins said. “So what this really focuses on is tangible tax. It reimagines a tangible tax so they stop getting hit by municipalities and communities over and over and over again, on the same equipment.”

He explained that it will be a long process to finally exempt farmers from the taxes, including a change to the Florida Constitution.

“So, there’s a long road ahead of us,” he said. “But I am so grateful to be able to talk about this here. It’s just the tip of the iceberg, though.”

Collins also brought up his ethical concerns with lab-grown meat as one of the main reasons why his legislation, SB 1084, bans it.

“Let’s look at what you’re doing here. You’re growing cells in a cultivated petri dish and creating protein to eat,” he said. “There are many ethical boundaries that this steps in and frankly, over.”

Sen. Clay Yarborough, R-Jacksonville, and Rep. Tyler Sirois, R-Merritt Island, are also carrying bills cracking down on lab-grown meat.

He emphasized that leaders must “protect our people” and that “we don’t have the science” that backs the production of cultivated meat.

“I think we have to be very thought-out in what we allow our people to eat,” Collins said. “What we teach our kids today is how we leave our country tomorrow.”

“We want to make sure that we’re building opportunity in agriculture and we’re rewarding people and feeding only the best to our citizens,” he said.

Collins also touched on the need to sustain Florida’s growing population and take care of the state’s agriculture industry as it compete with other countries.

“We got to make sure we stabilize, revitalize and grow our ag community, feed Florida, America first, and take care of those people across our country,” he added.

“We want our farmers and our agricultural community to thrive, this is the way ahead.”