Note from the Coordinators
Vegan Identity
Over a decade ago we attended a government hearing on school lunch programs. A multinational soy processing company giving comments was tentative in their advocacy of soy in school lunches. That made sense at the time as so much of their business was feed for animals, though natural foods companies were also buying their items for vegan soy foods.
This past year we attended a Food and Drug Administration hearing on standards of identity for foods. There are standards for more than 280 foods, but of interest to our members may be whether plant foods can be labeled meat or milk. At the open hearing (seemingly attended mostly by lawyers, lobbyists, and industry), what struck us was that almost the same number of individuals representing plant-based processed foods testified as those for the animal product industy.
In a discussion session, a dairy representative strongly stated that when people buy ice cream, they expect there to be ("real") cream in the product. Debra said that this seems to be generational as young people encounter so many alternatives (soy, rice, oat, lowfat, etc.) in the store, that they don't see it that way. Most of the younger people in the audience nodded in agreement. In another session, Charles mentioned that the country is now very diverse. Unlike years ago, today it's hard to have one standard for everyone, as you have to represent different interests. He also said that regulators, scientists, and dietitians have generally lagged behind consumer changes. Unfortunately, this has meant people are not going to them, but listening to non-scientific information. If we want people to make their decisions based on science, then regulations and recommendations need to keep up with the consumer.
We were taken aback by the anger and fear from people associated with the animal industries; but it makes sense as their livelihood, culture, and family security are at stake. Even meat processors and distributors are adding vegan food to their lineup. The last lobbyist testified about almond milk and dairy milk being combined into one product, so standards need to be changed. Each producer wanted to protect their own product, whether it be tea, oil, or a processed plant food (which may or may not be healthful). Since people on each side of the issue get disturbed at government, you can see how hard it is to come up with balanced regulations.
Depending on your political leanings, some may want to protect the status quo, some may want government to be on the side of change, and some may think government staying out of it serves everyone's interests best. These beliefs seem to change whether you are the one in power or not, or if it's your business at stake. A VRG volunteer said: "I think the sorrow in the world weighs heavier on some than others." If you're a VRG member, it means you want a better world. You may each have different views of how to do this, but thank you all for caring and being involved as times and identities change.
Debra Wasserman & Charles Stahler
Coordinators of The Vegetarian Resource Group
