Part of the state government’s general assembly 2018 farm bill would ban the marketing of milk made from plants, including almond, coconut and soy, from being labelled ‘milk’ in North Carolina after January 1. The products could still be sold, they just couldn’t legally be labelled ‘milk’ under the proposed law. That distinction would be reserved for dairy products like milk from animals, including cows and goats. The legislators note that nearly 200 nations do not allow beverages to be labelled ‘milk’ unless they are animal products. And labelling plant-based liquids ‘milk’ is confusing to consumers, they say.
North Carolina legislators have made it clear: “If a drink doesn’t come from an animal with hooves, you can’t call it milk”.
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