Federal Judge Kristine Baker issued a preliminary injunction against enforcement of the 2019 state law aimed at prohibiting the labeling of plant-based foods in any way that suggested they were similar to meat products.
The suit was brought against a state agency by Turtle Island Foods, maker of Tofurky, and the ACLU as a defense of First Amendment rights. The suit said the law was a restriction on commercial speech. The company said its labeling makes clear the products are plant-based (that’s what buyers often are seeking) but uses terms such as “chorizo” or “roast” that emphasize their similarity to meat products. Beef, pork and chicken producers led the fight for the law.
The Arkansas law is similar to laws that have been passed by agricultural lobbies in other states. A federal judge in Missouri allowed a similar law to be enforced. Not Judge Baker.
To read the rest of the story, please go to: Arkansas Times
