The chairman of the Wisconsin Senate Agriculture Committee has once again sponsored a pair of bills that would ban the labeling of products as milk or as a dairy product or ingredient if the food is not made from the milk of a cow, sheep, goat or other mammals. Sen. Howard Marklein, along with Reps. Travis Tranel and Clint Moses, have re-introduce the so-called Truth In Food Labeling Legislation. The measure requires that only products labeled as 'milk' come from an animal, and that plant-based products cannot be called 'meat.' A third bill would essentially do the same for meat products.
"This legislation is extremely important to the farmers and food processors in my district," Sen. Marklein said. "They feel very strongly about the integrity of food labeling and are frustrated by the misleading labeling that has invaded dairy and meat cases throughout our grocery stores. It's disappointing when you open a carton of ice cream and discover that you mistakenly bought a flavor-less, dairy-free alternative, rather than the creamy, delicious treat you expected."
Most of the state's agricultural organizations support the measure, claiming the variety of beverages and other foods being misrepresented as real dairy seems to be growing.
"First and foremost, this is about transparency for people deciding what food to buy," said Amy Penterman, president of the Dairy Business Association. "You can find any number of products that are labeled to mimic real milk, cheese and other dairy foods. Customers deserve to know the differences between those products and the real deal. Variety can be a good thing; dishonesty is not."
The bill will be considered by the full Assembly and Senate. If approved, a number of other states would have to follow suit for the dairy measures to become law in Wisconsin, under federal interstate commerce rules.
Similar legislation was being circulated in the Wisconsin Capitol last year, but was halted when the COVID-19 pandemic became a larger issue.
Categories: Wisconsin, Government & Policy