The U.S. District Court for the Western district of Missouri ruled as constitutional the 2018 statute relating to potential misrepresentation of vegetable-based products as meat.
The Missouri statute, according to the court, did not prohibit commercial speech and was in accordance with the First Amendment. Turtle Island Foods, manufacturer of Tofurky, clearly labels its product as being ‘plant-origin’.
Missouri Attorney General, Andrew Bailey, stated, “Ensuring that the truth of products sold within the state of Missouri is of importance to both consumers and the farmers and ranchers that produce food.” The Missouri Cattlemen’s Association welcomed the judgment, noting “The legislation in no way prohibited the sale of consumption of these imitation products but it did require truthful and accurate labeling. Misleading consumers is unacceptable.”
Opponents of restricted legislation maintain that consumers are not confused by meat substitutes with labels that clearly indicate plant-based origin. These products are usually placed in display areas separate from animal-derived meat and with clear labeling of packages.