Plaintiffs Withdraw “Hogwash” Lawsuit Against Mississippi’s Meat Law

Statement from Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson on Lawsuit Withdrawal

Today, plaintiffs who filed a lawsuit regarding Mississippi’s meat labeling law, which prohibits plant-based, insect-based, or cell-cultured proteins to be marketed as “meat” or “meat products” withdrew their lawsuit in federal court. Regulations for the plant-based and insect-based products go into effect today.

Agriculture and Commerce Commissioner Andy Gipson said, “When the ‘veggie burger gang’ filed a lawsuit against the State of Mississippi’s meat labeling laws earlier this year, I said it was unfortunate the plaintiffs resorted to litigation without reviewing our proposed rules and offering comments to them. I said at the time Mississippi’s meat labeling law is Constitutional and we would defend it and win. And I said their lawsuit was ‘hogwash.’ Now, they have withdrawn their lawsuit because they did what I said they should have done, work with us on the proposed rules. The law remains intact. What they claimed in their unnecessary and frivolous lawsuit was not true. And Mississippi’s meat law, passed unanimously by the Mississippi legislature, will be enforced by the Department of Agriculture as the legislature intended.”