The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association is reacting to the passage of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, also known as Farm Bill 2.0.
Ethan Lane, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs for NCBA said, “Thank you to Chairman GT Thompson, House leadership, and members from both parties for listening to real farmers and ranchers and passing the Farm Bill through the House. Instead of caving to attacks on the livestock industry from shell activist groups that impersonate real producers, a bipartisan group of lawmakers advanced a bill that will provide certainty and important policy fixes for cattle country. We look forward to engaging with the Senate to advance this Farm Bill to the president’s desk.”
NCBA also shared their support for the Fair and Accurate Ingredient Representation on Labels (FAIR Labels) Act, which according to NCBA, “would ensure consumer transparency by addressing the labeling of cell-cultivated protein and plant-based alternative protein products.”
NCBA President Gene Copenhaver said, “Currently, there is no federal statute for labeling cell-cultivated protein products in the marketplace. For far too long, lab-grown protein companies have exploited the use of terms like “meat” and “beef” to describe their products, creating the potential for consumer confusion through misleading marketing. The FAIR Labels Act will establish a federal guideline for labeling cell-cultivated and plant-based alternative protein products, ensuring consumers can easily differentiate these products from real beef products produced by U.S. cattlemen and cattlewomen. We thank these members of the House and Senate for their efforts to protect truthful beef labeling and deliver clarity in the marketplace.”
Audio Reporting by Dale Sandlin for Southeast AgNet.