Florida’s ban on cultivated meat sacrifices conservative principles for culture war points

It is not yet clear whether the alternative protein products known variously as “lab-grown,” “cell-cultivated” or “cultured” meat will deliver the environmental benefits touted by their boosters or when they will be appealing and cheap enough to be competitive with conventional poultry, beef and pork. But Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis already has made up his mind, deeming these products so repellent that selling them should be a crime.

When he signed the nation’s first ban on cultivated meat last week...