Why Plant-Based Policy Work is Needed
In PBFA’s recent State of the Marketplace report, we found that when plant-based foods are more available – in delicious varieties –across retail and foodservice environments, people choose plant-based. Over the past six years, the plant-based foods industry has grown substantially as more and more people seek out foods that align with their nutritional needs and personal values. The success of the plant-based foods industry represents an exciting opportunity to reimagine how Americans nourish themselves.
This prospect is particularly important considering the current environmental impact of our food system that prioritizes industrial animal agriculture, and the mounting land and water resources needed to feed a growing population. The fact is, we need to do all we can to increase access and availability of plant-based foods and policy work is essential to realizing this vision. In the U.S., 10 times more land is allocated to growing crops that feed livestock than growing crops for human consumption – and around 800 times more public funding goes into industrial animal agriculture than plant-based foods. Despite those daunting statistics, the growing market for plant-based foods is fueling opportunities for farmers and rural economies. The plant-based food industry alone supports more than 55,000 higher-than-average paying jobs, providing $3.3 billion in income each year, in at least 35 different states.
We believe that plant-based foods are at the heart of a healthier, more sustainable, more equitable food system—and the plant-based foods industry is central to making that brighter food future possible.
Prioritizing Policies to Move the Needle for Plant-Based Foods
Our policy work includes defending plant-based companies’ right to use common sense labeling terms, ensuring federal dietary guidelines accurately represent the many benefits of plant-based eating, and meeting with lawmakers on Capitol Hill to educate them about the health, sustainability, and economic benefits that plant-based foods have to offer. Ultimately, our policy team works to advance our industry—and empowers our members to amplify their voices, stay up-to-date and informed on key policy issues, and take powerful joint action on behalf of our community.
As part of the PBFA community, our members are part of a strong collective raising our voices with Members of Congress, state legislators, government agencies, and beyond to ensure our industry and its many stakeholders can grow, innovate, and thrive long into the future.
When efforts to restrict plant-based labeling—often led by the meat and dairy lobbies—are enacted, we challenge these problematic laws in court and fight for a fair regulatory environment for plant-based foods. Restrictive labeling bills threaten to stifle innovation, restrict consumer access to plant-based foods, and disrupt the positive momentum of an industry that's powering progress for our food system. For example, on Wednesday, May 15th, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed a harmful labeling bill, SF 2391, into law that targets plant-based meat and egg products sold in the state. This legislation includes language that attempts to limit the availability of plant-based egg products within key federal nutrition assistance programs. Not only is this provision anti-fair market, but it also raises equity concerns for the participants in these programs who have egg allergies or who prefer not to eat traditional eggs for any number of other reasons. Egg allergies are especially common among young children – raising especially big concerns about limiting the availability of plant-based egg alternatives to participants in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
In addition to defending access to plant-based foods, our policy team is also engaged in proactive work to expand state and federal support for plant-based options. This includes advancing the plant-based sector in the 2025 Dietary Guidelines; advocating for key provisions of the PLANT Act to support agricultural growth for plant-based foods; advocating for government funding for critical research; and ensuring plant-based foods are made available through government nutrition assistance programs. Most recently, PBFA supported USDA’s WIC expansion to include options like plant-based yogurts and cheeses, as well as higher flexibility for states to authorize additional plant-based foods as they meet program nutrient specifications. Our policy team will be hosting members in DC for a June Lobby Day to advocate for our industry with key congressional offices, and help advance our priorities with pertinent agency staff. Across all this work, our goal is to ensure plant-based foods are available and accessible to consumers who want and need them.