SF0084 amends Wyoming’s food labeling laws to authorize specific origin claims for beef. It allows beef to be labeled as a product of the United States only if the cattle were born, raised, slaughtered, and processed in the United States, and allows beef to be labeled as a product of Wyoming only if the cattle were born and raised in Wyoming. The bill also prohibits beef of undeterminable origin, or beef not meeting the full U.S. chain-of-origin standard, from being labeled as a product of the United States.
The bill also updates Wyoming’s definitions and labeling rules for meat products. It requires retailers and wholesalers to clearly identify cell-cultured products as containing cell-cultured product, and plant-based products as vegetarian, veggie, vegan, plant based, or a similar term. It further revises the statutory definition of “meat” and defines “beef” as meat from cattle, including veal. The act takes effect July 1, 2025.
Impact
SF0084 changes Wyoming statutes governing prohibited acts and fair packaging and labeling, primarily in W.S. 35-7-111 and 35-7-119. It creates enforceable labeling standards for beef origin claims and requires specific disclosures for cell-cultured and plant-based products sold by retailers and wholesalers in the state. The bill affects meat sellers, food processors, distributors, and retailers by restricting how products may be marketed and labeled in Wyoming.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have broad support overall, passing the Senate and House with large margins and receiving favorable committee recommendations in both chambers. The strong vote totals suggest general agreement with the bill’s consumer-information and agricultural-origin goals. However, the failed concurrence vote indicates there was at least some disagreement over amendments or final language before the measure was ultimately adopted in amended form.
Contention
The main points of contention appear to involve the scope and enforceability of origin labeling for beef, especially the requirement that only beef from cattle born, raised, slaughtered, and processed in the United States may use a U.S. origin label. Another likely area of debate is the treatment of plant-based and cell-cultured products, since the bill mandates specific descriptors that could be viewed as protective of traditional meat producers or as restrictive to alternative protein marketers. The recorded votes show only limited opposition, but the failed concurrence vote suggests some disagreement between chambers over the final version.