The animal agriculture industry is proposing a ban on the use of terms such as burger, steak, milk, cheese-like, yoghurt-like, etc to describe plant based analogues. This ban is supported by European farmers, among them the IFA (Irish Farmers Association).
Declan Meehan interviewed Sandra Higgins, Director, Go Vegan World, on East Coast FM Radio, Morning Show, for her views on the ban.
Higgins pointed out that we are in the midst of some of the worst catastrophes that humans have ever faced, namely the current pandemic and the climate and environmental crisis, both of which are caused, to a very significant extent, by animal agriculture. The science is very clear that the future of food production must be plant based to overcome these catastrophes and anything that supports people to go vegan and consume a plant based diet should be encouraged. The bullying hand of the animal agriculture industry is trying to discredit and harm the production of plant based alternatives to animal foods and violate the rights of consumers to easily access information to the food they buy.
Higgins suggested that if the farming lobby is to be consistent and clearly label food, then every animal product and every shop selling animal products should show footage of the standard legal practices on farms and in slaughterhouses that violate the rights of other animals who are turned into commodities to cater for our eating habits. She pointed out that most people buy and consume animal products in the false believe that they are natural, normal, necessary and nice, none of which is true.
Higgins also explains the difference between a plant diet and veganism which is the belief that other animals have the right not to be used or killed by humans.
You can listen to the interview here