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January 17, 2019

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Beef-friendly US state eyes meat term regulation

More than four months after Missouri became the first US state to regulate the term 鈥渕eat鈥 on product labels, Nebraska鈥檚 powerful farm groups are pushing for similar protection from veggie burgers, tofu dogs and other items that look and taste like real meat.

Nebraska lawmakers will consider a bill this year defining meat as 鈥渁ny edible portion of livestock or poultry, carcass, or part thereof鈥 and excluding 鈥渓ab-grown or insect or plant-based food products.鈥

It would make it a crime to advertize or sell something 鈥渁s meat that is not derived from poultry or livestock.鈥

Similar measures aimed at meat alternatives are pending in Tennessee, Virginia and Wyoming. They come amid a debate over what to call products that are being developed using the emerging science of meat grown by culturing cells in a lab. Supporters of the science are embracing the term 鈥渃lean meat鈥 鈥 language the conventional meat industry strongly opposes.

The issue strikes a particularly strong chord in Nebraska, one of the nation鈥檚 top states for livestock production, where cars roll down the interstate with 鈥淏eef State鈥 license plates and the governor each year proclaims May as 鈥淏eef Month.鈥

Farm groups have found an unusual ally in state Senator Carol Blood, a city-dwelling vegetarian from the Omaha suburb of Bellevue.

Blood, who grew up on a farm, said she introduced the measure because agriculture is Nebraska鈥檚 largest industry and needs to be protected for the good of the whole state.

鈥淚鈥檓 not bringing this bill to tell people what they can and can鈥檛 eat,鈥 she said. 鈥淎ll I鈥檓 asking for is truth in advertising. It鈥檚 clear that meat comes from livestock, and livestock is our livelihood in Nebraska.鈥

Nebraska led the nation in commercial red meat production in 2017 and had the most feed cows as of last year, according to the US Department of Agriculture. Livestock and livestock product sales generated an estimated US$12.1 billion for the state鈥檚 economy in 2016, according to the USDA鈥檚 most recent available data.

The measure is certain to face resistance from food producers that sell plant-based alternatives, as well as those working to bring lab-grown meat to market. Critics say the bill infringes on the free-speech rights of companies that produce vegetarian alternatives to real meat.

The Good Food Institute, the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri, the Animal Legal Defense Fund and plant-based food company Tofurkey have filed a federal lawsuit challenging the Missouri law. They argue the law unfairly stifles competition.

The Nebraska bill 鈥渨ould censor food labels and create consumer confusion where there is none,鈥 said Jessica Almy, director of policy for the Washington-based Good Food Institute. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 censor speech just to promote one industry鈥檚 financial success.鈥

Supporters of the Nebraska measure say they want to ensure people aren鈥檛 misled about what they鈥檙e eating.

Blood said she proposed the measure after seeing two women in a grocery store who couldn鈥檛 tell whether a product contained meat or a substitute. She said her proposal wouldn鈥檛 require inspections of product labels, as Missouri鈥檚 law does.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to be the meat police,鈥 she said.

Under the Nebraska bill, violations would bring a misdemeanor charge punishable by up to a year in jail and a US$1,000 fine.

鈥淐onsumers have a right to know what they鈥檙e buying,鈥 said John Hansen, president of the Nebraska Farmers Union. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the case whether it鈥檚 a vegetarian product or not. There ought to be clear, honest and accurate labeling, and then let the marketplace make the choices.鈥

Hansen said his group鈥檚 livestock producers are particularly concerned about whether consumers will be able to differentiate between meat grown in the lab and farm-grown beef, pork and chicken.

Pete McClymont, executive vice president for the group Nebraska Cattlemen, said his organization鈥檚 concern rises partly from the growth of products labeled as almond and soy milk, which have become an increasingly popular alternative to cow鈥檚 milk. McClymont said his group still needs to review specific details of the Nebraska proposal, but will push for any law that protects the state鈥檚 livestock producers.

鈥淲hen I go out and speak to our membership, this is right near the top of what people are passionate about,鈥 he said.


 

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