NGO: Aubrey Plaza “Wood Milk” campaign from USDA violates federal law

In Washington, DC, health advocacy nonprofit Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine is alleging a new ad campaign from the USDA violates laws forbidding federal agricultural promotions from depicting products in a negative light.

The ad from USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service features The White Lotus star Aubrey Plaza mocking plant-based milk by promoting the clearly fake product. She even brags about how Wood Milk is made from “free-range” trees.

PCRM has filed a complaint with the USDA Office of Inspector General, alleging the ad violates the statutory prohibition against advertising that is “false or misleading or disparaging to another agricultural commodity” and the regulatory prohibition against “unfair or deceptive acts or practices with respect to the quality, value or use of any competing product.”

The NGO also says the ad violates a federal law that says USDA milk advertising dollars can’t be used to influence legislation or government action or policy.