Wisconsin Republicans pursue truth-in-labeling bills

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MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Republicans are pursuing changes in state law to ban labeling food as meat, milk or dairy if it doesn’t contain those products.

A state Senate committee held a hearing Thursday on the proposals, which the sponsors argue are needed to protect Wisconsin’s agriculture and dairy industries from what they argue is misleading food labeling. Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin has pursued similar legislation at the federal level.

One bill would ban labeling a drink as milk unless it comes from cows, goats and certain other animals. Another would prohibit labeling something as cream, yogurt or cheese unless it includes dairy products.

The prohibitions would take effect only if 10 other Midwest states approve similar bans by 2031.

A third would prohibit ban labeling or selling a product as meat, bacon or similar term unless it included the flesh of an animal. Eleven other states already have such a ban.