Arkansas’ ban on veggie-meat labels is total bologna, says Tofurky

Tofurky is searing mad over Arkansas’ new food-labeling law that prevents makers of meatless meat products from using words such as “burger,” “sausage,” “roast,” “jerky,” and “meat” in their labeling. Instead, veggie burgers and sausages will have to be served up with unappetizing descriptors like “savory plant-based protein.” The law is Act 501, with the lengthy title “To Require Truth in Labeling of Agricultural Products that Are Edible by Humans,” which passed the Arkansas State Legislature back in March. It essentially states that only animal-based products can be called “meat” or be labeled with the names of common meat products. Foods can only bear meat-related terms if the product is “derived from harvested livestock, poultry, or cervids [deer family members],” according to the law. Those who buck the law face fines of up to $1,000 per violation. Act 501 was proposed by Rep. David Hillman (R), who is a rice farmer and past president of the Arkansas Farm Bureau. The law also states that the term “rice” can only be used for products that contain rice, putting products like cauliflower rice on the butcher block, too...MORE

This would appear to be a tough one for liberals, who for years have sought to distinguish commercial speech from free speech, for regulatory purposes.