Texas Governor Greg Abbott signs legislation imposing new labeling requirements on meat alternatives, similar versions of which other states have deemed unconstitutional.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott just signed Senate Bill 664 into law in Texas, a state where 70 percent of farmland is dedicated to ranches.
The law requires prominent labeling for plant-based or fermented alternatives to meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs that must state that the products are “analogue,” “meatless,” “plant-based,” “made from plants,” or similar terminology.
For cultivated meat, the Texas law requires similar labeling protocols and suggests the use of terms such as “cell-cultured,” “lab-grown,” or comparable language.
Cultivated meat is not yet sold in the United States and plant-based products already display the language mandated in the Texas law, as the fact that they do not contain animal meat is a selling point.
However, the law—which is supported by rancher advocacy group Texas Farm Bureau—was allegedly created to solve consumer confusion around these products. One survey in 2020 of 1,200 Texas consumers in Texas found that one in five purchased plant-based products thinking they contain animal meat.
But are people in Texas—which is home to more than 29.5 million residents—really confused about labels on plant-based alternatives or is something else going on?
Drake Jamali, legislative specialist at nonprofit Good Food Institute (GFI), explains. “GFI shares the goal of ensuring transparency and consumer understanding around the foods they purchase; however, Senate Bill 664 would prescribe requirements that are premature, unnecessary, and could create severe economic impacts for small businesses,” Jamali said in a statement sent to VegNews.
“Simply put, Texas consumers are not confused about the foods they purchase and this law will do nothing to protect consumers,” Jamali said. “Instead, this legislation could restrict consumer choice by stifling innovation, the free market, and freedom of speech.”
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