Associated Press writer Emily Wagster Pettus reported last week that, “Mississippi is considering new rules that let companies continue to use food-labeling terms such as ‘veggie burger’ and ‘vegan bacon,’ as long as the terms are prominently displayed so consumers understand the products are not meat.
“The state agriculture department on Thursday proposed new regulations for plant-based products that are sold as alternatives to meat.
“The regulations were published weeks after a nonprofit organization that advocates plant-based foods and an Illinois food company sued Mississippi over a labeling law. The suit was filed on July 1, the same day the state enacted the law saying that ‘a plant-based or insect-based food product shall not be labeled as meat or a meat food product.'”
The AP article noted that, “Makers of plant-based foods have also sued Missouri and Arkansas over labeling laws.
“The proposed Mississippi regulations say terms such as ‘plant-based’ must be clearly displayed on packaging of products such as vegetarian hot dogs. The rules will be open for public comment for nearly a month. Mississippi Agriculture Commissioner Andy Gipson told The Associated Press on Friday that if there are no changes needed after the comment period, he will issue an order for the regulations to take effect.”
