Across the nation, government food police are launching a crusade against what names we call our food. Whether the food in question is veggie “sausage,” cauliflower “rice,” or almond “milk,” government officials appear eager to restrict the free speech rights of food companies.
In 1980, Seth Tibbott, armed with what he described as “a passionate love for soybeans” and $2,500 of life savings founded Turtle Island Foods in a small space he rented at the back of an Oregon food co-op. The company focused on producing vegan and vegetarian alternatives to meat, including its most recognizable product, the now-ubiquitous Tofurky, which debuted in 1995. As Tofurky sales took off, the family-owned company eventually grew into a multimillion-dollar business. While the plant-based food market has only continued to expand (sales have risen 20 percent in just the last year) Turtle Island now faces a new threat: food regulators.
