The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association praised the United States Senate Wednesday for the introduction of the Real MEAT Act, companion to the bill introduced introduced by U.S. Representatives Roger Marshall (R-KS) and Anthony Brindisi (D-NY) in October.
“It’s clear that fake-meat companies are continuing to mislead consumers about the nutritional merits and actual ingredient composition of their products,” said NCBA President Jennifer Houston. “We commend the efforts of Senator Fischer on introducing this legislation, which would end deceptive labeling of fake meat products and allow cattle producers to compete on a level playing field.”
MEAT is an acronym for Marketing Edible Artificials Truthfully and the bill aims to protect consumers from deceptive marketing practices and bring further transparency about what they are eating.
“Beef is derived from cattle—period,” said Senator Deb Fischer, who introduced the act in the Senate. “Under USDA, beef undergoes a rigorous inspection and labeling process, but plant-based protein products that mimic beef and are sometimes labeled as beef are overseen by the FDA instead. These products are not held to the same food safety and labeling standards as beef.”