Legalizing the Meaning of Meat

Abstract

What we call meat has become a contentious issue in the United States. This article is the first to explore the many dynamics behind meat labeling laws proposed by various state legislatures. It uses food studies methods to places those debates within a larger context of the history of “meat,” plant-based proteins, cell-cultured proteins, and insect-based proteins, as well as other food labeling struggles. The article ultimately argues that expressly recognizing these dynamics can augment sustainable food advocacy efforts in the future.

Keywords: food, meat, environment, cell-cultured meats, plant-based meats, insect-based meats

JEL Classification: K32, K30, Q18