Fresh off the release of NCBA's 2018 Policy Priorities, members in Phoenix passed official policy designed to protect consumers and the beef industry from fake meat and misleading labels. The resolution will inform advocacy efforts as NCBA ramps up the fight against imitation meat and franken-foods inside the Beltway.

What does the policy say? Recognizing that many products are being falsely marketed as equivalent or substitutes for beef, the resolution notes that NCBA opposes "alternative proteins being permitted to use nomenclature associated with protein sourced from livestock production."

It further states that NCBA supports "the definition of beef to only include products derived from actual livestock raised by cattle farmers and ranchers and harvested for human consumption."

What does that mean in practice? NCBA will be waging a campaign on two fronts:

Ensuring that product labels accurately describe the product and do not disparage beef.

2. Working with the federal government to define clear regulatory jurisdiction over new products.