Congressman Mark Alford, who represents Missouri’s Fourth Congressional District, is introducing a bill known as the FAIR Labels Act of 2024. The bill would require protein products that are plant based or lab grown to be labeled with wording that specifies their origin.
Alford is no stranger to agriculture based legislation. He sits on the House Committee on Agriculture and is the only Missouri representative on the 52-seat committee.
“The American consumer deserves to know what they are eating and feeding their families. Whether they choose protein substitutes like plant-based or lab-grown meat or traditionally raised meat, the product should be labeled clearly. Farmers and ranchers across the country work from sun-up to sun-down to produce high-quality and nutritious meat for consumers. It is only fair that all products are labeled fairly. This begins with transparent and appropriate labeling laws which our legislation requires,” said Alford. “I’m proud to introduce the FAIR Labels Act of 2024 on the federal level, especially given that Missouri was the first state to pass marketing with integrity legislation.”
In 2018, Missouri became the first state to enact legislation that regulated the marketing of meat products that are not derived from livestock or poultry. According to the Missouri Department of Agriculture, such products must include Products must include a “prominent statement on the front of the package, immediately before or immediately after the product name, that the product is ‘plant-based,’ ‘veggie,’ ‘lab-grown,’ ‘lab-created’ or a comparable qualifier”.
Support for the bill is both bicameral and bipartisan. Senator Roger Marshall, R-KS, as well as Representative Don Davis, D-NC, Roger Williams, R-TX, and Jonathan Jackson, D-IL, have all voiced their approval.
Organizations that advocate for farmers, such as the Missouri Farm Bureau, have endorsed the bill too.
“We applaud Congressman Alford’s efforts to crack down on deceptive marketing tactics that harm the agricultural industry and mislead consumers. For years, farmers and ranchers have watched plant-based and lab-grown meat alternatives flood grocery store shelves under misleading labels, using familiar terms like “burger” and “sausage” that rightfully belong to meat derived from animals raised by American farmers. This bill is an important step in ensuring consumers know what they are getting when they walk down the grocery store aisle.” – Missouri Farm Bureau President Garrett Hawkins, a fifth-generation farmer from St. Clair County.
The Missouri Cattlemen’s Association (MCA), a group that represents 2,000 cattle producers and related parties in Missouri, have endorsed the bill as well.
“Missouri was the first state to pass legislation requiring marketing with integrity when it comes to these alternative protein products, so it is fitting Congressman Alford and his team are taking ownership of this issue,” said Missouri Cattlemen’s Association President Chuck Miller. “These products must be held to rigorous standards the same way our products are. Consumers deserve to know what they feeding their families.”
The Missouri Pork Association, a group that supports pork producers in the state, joined in the MCA in supporting the bill.
“We truly appreciate Congressman Mark Alford’s passion and focus. His leadership in bringing forth legislation to address fair and honest labeling of meat products is critical to the future of the pork industry” said Adam Dohrman, Chairman of The Missouri Pork Association.
Although plant based meat sales in the United States have plateaued in the last couple of years, the likelihood of these products becoming more common in the U.S. grows as global popularity trends upward.
Lab grown proteins have also entered the market. Last summer, the USDA allowed specific business to begin selling lab grown proteins.
