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NCBA pushes back on ‘fake meat’ claims

Cattle producers are unhappy about some of the claims being made by promoters of plant-based proteins, or “fake meat”.

“Plant-based is doing two things that we don’t like,” says Colin Woodall, CEO of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. “One is, they are marketing by disparaging our product—and they’re using the term ‘beef’.”

Woodall says NCBA is pushing back.

“We are utilizing our PR campaign to get out and make sure that people understand the true impact of our product on the environment—and also we have legislation that will restrict the use of the term ‘beef’ moving forward, for that plant-based product.”

Woodall is referring to the Real MEAT Act, which would establish a federal definition of beef that applies to food labels.

We visited with Woodall at the annual meeting of Nebraska Cattlemen in Kearney.