DES MOINES, Iowa — The Senate passed a bill for a second time Wednesday that would require more specific labeling on egg and meat alternative products and fine companies who are not in compliance.
In February, senators passed a previous version of the bill unanimously, but after the House added amendments to the legislation over the past couple weeks, 12 Democratic senators voted in opposition. The bill still received enough votes to pass, and now advances to Gov. Kim Reynolds' desk.
The legislation says companies who create meat alternative products must include words like: "meatless", "plant-based" or "fake" on packaging to ensure consumers of what they're buying while protecting state farmers from competition.
Senators noted this would apply to popular vegan and vegetarian products like the "Impossible Burger" and "Beyond Burger" when sold in stores.
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"Transparent labeling for the consumers, and to keep experimental lab grown protein out of the schools and nutritional programs," said Sen. Dawn Driscoll, R-Iowa County.
The bill also said, if the Department of Inspections receives a complaint or discovers mislabeled products, the processing plant will be fined and its products barred from being sold to Iowan school districts and community colleges.
Sen. Janet Petersen, D-Polk County, said Wednesday during debate the bill "is putting one group of people at risk."
That group? Individuals with dairy allergies.
Peterson referenced an amendment the House added to the bill recently, which frustrated some Senate Republicans as well, requiring the same labeling compliance for egg-alternative products like "imitation" or "plant-based," according to Sen. Driscoll.
Sen. Herman C. Quirmbach, D-Story County, also spoke up in opposition to the bill Wednesday in agreement with Sen. Petersen.
"When you're trying to prohibit the purchase of important nutritive products, when the alternatives of eggs themselves the prices are likely to go up again, they're already way too high. I think that that is just unconscionable," he added.
Another one of the House amendments included allowing the state to submit a federal waiver to ban the sale of egg alternative products for those receiving SNAP benefits.
"When you pull the schools into it and those who can't afford other options, being as at one point I couldn't afford other options, hence why I wanted to make them myself, that's the part that has me there's a lot to this bill and it's very vague, but it's harmful," said Lyssa Wade, the owner of a homemade, vegan cuisine option in the metro called the Veggie Thumper.