Louisiana lawmakers push food label restrictions

BATON ROUGE — Louisiana's lawmakers are on a labeling binge this year, pushing ahead with food classification restrictions on milk, rice, meat, sugar, shrimp, and crawfish as they try to assist the state's agricultural industries.

The protectionist measures are provoking ridicule on social media, threats of litigation and objections from people who say they don't need the state telling them that almond milk isn't real milk.

But legislators say they're trying to make sure consumers know what they're buying, eating, and drinking, and they say they're trying to help bolster farmers and fishermen who are struggling.

Two of the so-called "truth in labeling" proposals — overwhelmingly backed by the Senate and awaiting debate in the House — come from Senate Agriculture Chairman Francis Thompson, a Democrat from rural Richland Parish.

Read more: https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/news/2019/05/12/analysis-louisiana-lawmakers-push-food-label-restrictions/1184756001/