Food Defamation Laws

All copies of the Green Illusions eco-book, sold in the USA, were self-censored , as some of the allegations in it could have brought trials with food producers

Food libel laws , also known as veggie libel laws, are a series of laws passed by 13 states in the United States in the late 1990s that make it easier to prosecute food critics. Among these states: Idaho , Alabama , Arizona , Georgia , Colorado , Louisiana , Mississippi , Ohio , Oklahoma , North Dakota , Texas , Florida , South Dakota ^[1] .

These laws vary widely from state to state, but food libel laws usually allow a food producer or processor to sue a person or group who make dismissive comments about their food products. In some states, these laws also set standards of proof other than those used in traditional American libel suits, including the practice of placing the burden of proof on the party against whom the lawsuit is filed. Many of the laws on neglect of food products set a lower standard of civil liability and allow punitive damages and attorney's fees only for plaintiffs, regardless of the outcome of the case ^[2] .