AUSTIN, TEXAS – On May 10, a bill was proposed in the Texas House of Representatives that would prohibit food companies from using certain meat vernacular when naming or labeling products not made from animal proteins.

According to House Bill 316, any food produced from insects, plants or cell-based meats would not be able to use the label “meat,” “pork,” “poultry” or “beef.” Lawmakers said that meat alternative companies using these words could mislead consumers.

The Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Associations, Texas Poultry Federation, Texas Pork Producers Association and other meat industry groups have all supported the Texas bill.

Legislation regarding food identity standards has taken place on the state level. Similar proposals already have appeared in more than half of the country’s state legislatures. They have been enacted in several states, including Arkansas, Missouri and Mississippi. Most are being challenged in court.

Meat alternative companies like Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat have pushed back on these bills using free speech arguments.