Italy banned the sale of artificial meat Thursday. The measure, proposed in March of this year, seeks to protect the country's agriculture industry, which could take a hit from lab-made meat products. Approved by 159 votes in favor, 53 against and 34 abstentions, this new law promoted by Giorgia Meloni puts an end not only to the sale but also to the production of these artificial foods. In fact, fines of between 10,000 and 60,000 euros (roughly $10,900-$65,000) or 10% of the turnover could be imposed for each violation detected by the Italian government, which will also confiscate the now illicit products.
As explained by Italian Minister of Agriculture Francesco Lollobrigida in statements reported by BBC, the intention is to protect all Italian citizens:
Italy is the world's first country safe from the social and economic risks of synthetic food. We are safeguarding our food, our system of nutrition, by maintaining the relationship between food, land and human labor that we have enjoyed for millennia. We have to protect our workers, our agricultural entrepreneurs and citizens who have the right to eat well.
Italian Health Minister Orazio Schillaci was also in favor of the new law. According to him, this new measure "safeguards" the country's agri-food heritage and culture, which, he highlighted, are "based on the Mediterranean diet."
Italy's agricultural companies celebrate artificial meat ban
Coldiretti, one of the largest agricultural associations in Italy, is one of the big beneficiaries of this new law. The company began a strong campaign last year calling for a ban on artificial meat. As they alleged at the time, laboratory-grown meat threatened the future of the country's farms. The initiative was a complete success and earned more than 2 million signatures, as well as the support of 3,000 local and regional governments throughout Italy.
Coldiretti President Ettore Prandini was one of the first to celebrate the ban on synthetic meat. Through a post on Facebook, Coldiretti assured that the country is putting an end to a dangerous practice that "endangers a healthy diet and foods made in Italy":
The ban on the production, distribution and import of synthetic foods in Italy is finally law. This morning, together with farmers and ranchers from all over Italy, we took to the streets of Montecitorio to support the final approval of a regulation that stops a dangerous drift that endangered healthy eating and "Made in Italy." We are proud to be the first country that, despite being in favor of research, blocks in advance, as a precautionary measure, the sale of foods produced in laboratories whose effects on the health of consumers are currently unknown. This result is also part of the defense of the work of our farmers and companies, and obviously of traditional food and our "Made in Italy" products. Today we have achieved a great victory.
