You Officially Can't Call Meat Alternatives "Meat" In Missouri
As of Tuesday, food producers in the state of Missouri may no longer use the word "meat" in reference to anything that is not specifically meat, USA Today reports. That means all plant- or otherwise based-substitutes on menus or elsewhere must be called what they actually are.
It was the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association that worked to get the legislation passed, claiming the influx of vegan "meat" substitutes had caused confusion for customers and loss of business for ranchers: "The big issue was marketing with integrity and ... consumers knowing what they’re getting," a spokesman for the organization said. "There's so much unknown about this."
In response, the makers behind Tofurky filed an injunction on Monday saying that they haven't received any complaints on the matter. They also pointed out that "meat" is a fair game term when it comes to edible parts of fruits, veggies, and other vegan products.
Missouri is the first state to enact such a law, though France originally made headlines for enacting a similar law a few months back. While the French equivalent calls for a steeper fine should the law be violated, anyone who "[misrepresents] a product as meat that is not derived from harvested production livestock or poultry" in Missouri is subject to not only a $1,000 fine, but also potential imprisonment for a year.
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