Status (4/13/21): PBFA founding member Upton’s Naturals joined forces with the Institute for Justice to file a federal lawsuit challenging a new OK food labeling law as a violation of the First Amendment. Unfortunately, a federal judge denied them, forcing plant-based companies that want to sell food in OK to redesign their labels as if plant-based foods are potentially harmful.
Recently PBFA and Upton’s Naturals teamed up with the Institute for Justice to file a federal lawsuit challenging a new Oklahoma food labeling law as a violation of the First Amendment.
This law is the meat lobby’s anti-competitive response to the increased consumer demand for plant-based options. We are proud to stand with Upton’s Naturals and the Institute for Justice to protect PBFA members’ First Amendment rights to clearly communicate to consumers. To read more about our lawsuit, click here.
We are proud to have received widespread media coverage of the filing, including:
Alternative meat maker fights back against Oklahoma labeling requirements (The Oklahoman)
Plant-based foods company claims Oklahoma’s product label law violated First Amendment to protect meat-industry (Tulsa World)
Oklahoma Sued Over Plant-Based Food Large Disclaimer Law (Bloomberg Law – Paywall)
Lawsuit claims Oklahoma’s plant-based labeling law violates First Amendment rights (Food Dive)
Okla. Sued Over Plant-Based Food Labeling Law (Law 360 – Paywall)
Plant-based labeling wars: Oklahoma law is unconstitutional, claim PBFA, Upton’s Naturals in lawsuit (Food Navigator)
Upton’s Naturals Sues Oklahoma For Unconstitutional Anti-Vegan Labeling Law (VegNews)
Plant-based food producers sue state in federal court to block disclaimer requirement (Food Safety News)
Upton’s Naturals Sues Oklahoma for Unconstitutional Anti-Vegan Labeling Law (Not For Meat Eaters)
Plaintiffs Lawyers’ Infighting Threatens TikTok Settlement; Palatial Partner Offices Are Going Extinct; Oklahoma Sued Over Plant-Based Food-Naming Law: The Morning Minute (Law.Com – Paywall)
Point of View: Meat producers trying to herd competitors out of Oklahoma (The Oklahoman)
Vegan food company files First Amendment suit against Oklahoma over labeling regulations (Fox Business)
Chicago Vegan Company Sues Oklahoma Over Packaging Label Law (Eater Chicago)
Vegan food company files First Amendment suit against Oklahoma over labeling regulations (Yahoo! Finance)
The Oklahoma Meat Consumer Protection Act is “Meat Lobby’s Response to the Increased Consumer Demand for Plant-Based Options” (Vegconomist)
Vegan Food Company Sues Oklahoma Over Product Label Law (Pacific Northwest AG Network)
Food & Beverage Litigation Update l September 2020 (JD Supra)
Non-meat food producers have beef with new state law (Pauls Valley Democrat)
Chicago Vegan Firm Sues Oklahoma Over Packaging Label Regulation (Daily Chicago News)
Non-meat food producers have beef with new state law (Enid News and Eagle)
Plant-Based Protein Food Companies Sue Oklahoma Over New Labeling Law (Agri-Marketing)
New Oklahoma Plant-Based Labeling Law “Anti-Competitive” (Whole Foods Magazine)
Oklahoma ‘fake meat’ labeling law challenged (Feedstuffs)
Plant-Based Food Producers Sue State of Oklahoma in Federal Court to Block Disclaimer Requirement (Lexology)