WASHINGTON (May 9, 2025 — The other day, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) submitted remarks to the U.S. Fda (FDA) advising the company to toughen up advice for fake meat business that would avoid them from making use of deceptive labels on plant-based items.
“Cattle farmers and breeders work hard on a daily basis to raise wholesome, high-quality, and nourishing actual beef. We’ve invested years constructing a strong track record with consumers and we will not surrender on that without a fight. Companies selling phony meat should not be permitted to utilize misleading advertising and marketing or trade on beef’s reputation,” claimed NCBA Head of state and Nebraska cattleman Buck Wehrbein. “If you’re manufacturing items to replace beef which contain no actual beef, you need to not be making use of terms that specify to animals, specifically lawfully specified terms like ‘meat.’
“Also, you need to not be allowed to make use of images of livestock, genuine beef, or farmers and herdsmans in your labeling,” stated Wehrbein. “The federal government’s draft advice for the phony meat market has actually not gone much enough to avoid firms from trying to trick the public into purchasing fake meat items.”
NCBA’s comments urge FDA to resolve deceptive marketing on plant-based phony meat foods. Plant-based phony meat has been on the marketplace for several years, but sales have actually tumbled as customers stop at ultra-processed food. Although the last advice for industry is nonbinding, shutting technicalities that allow plant-based business to make use of terms like “beef” and images like the synopsis of a cow are important primary steps that benefit actual farmers and herdsmans. Added guidance or rulemaking activities may adhere to in the coming months.
“If you have to conceal behind the work of America’s livestock producers to sell your product, that says all you need to find out about these substandard imitations,” Wehrbein added.
— NCBA
