In Washington, D.C., the Good Food Institute, together with the Animal Legal Defense Fund, the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri, and plant-based meat powerhouse Tofurky, sued the state of Missouri to stop a law that would prohibit plant-based and clean meat companies from labeling their products accurately and in ways that consumers can understand.
Earlier this year, the Missouri governor signed an omnibus bill that contained language prohibiting “misrepresenting” as “meat” any product that does not come from a slaughtered animal. “Missouri is putting its thumb on the scale to unfairly benefit the meat industry and silence alternative producers,” notes Stephen Wells, Animal Legal Defense Fund’s Executive Director. “This law violates various constitutional principles, including free speech – which should be a concern for everyone, regardless of diet.”
The lawsuit claims the law infringes on the First Amendment, preventing the clear and accurate labeling of plant-based and clean meat products.