REAL Ingredients, REAL Standards: Congressman Wied Introduces REAL Butter Act

Greenleaf, WI - Congressman Tony Wied (R-WI) visited Brickstead Dairy earlier today to announce his newest bill, the bipartisan Recognizing Engineered Alternatives as Lab-Created (REAL) Butter Act, co-led with Congressman Josh Riley (D-NY). This legislation would promote transparency, protect consumer choice, and support Wisconsin dairy farmers.

"Billionaire food experiments are no longer hypothetical. Bill Gates is currently funding a carbon-based, lab-grown butter project created from carbon dioxide instead of milk from a cow, and it is happening in Illinois, right in the backyard of America's Dairyland. The REAL Butter Act would simply require that it be clearly labeled as "lab-created butter" directly on the product. America's dairy farmers put in the work every day to keep our families fed, our rural communities strong, and our agricultural heritage alive. They should not have to compete with products that hide behind vague or misleading labels," said Congressman Wied.

"Upstate dairy farmers work hard to make high-quality products that our families can count on. Fake 'butter' alternatives shouldn't be allowed to ride their coattails with misleading labels that confuse customers. Our bipartisan bill strengthens labeling standards for imitation butter, helping families make informed choices at the grocery store and protecting dairy farmers in Upstate New York and across the country," said Congressman Riley.

Background: In April 2025, Bill Gates announced his newest company, Savor, with a "butter" made of carbon. In other words, a fake butter made from thin air, despite claims that it is chemically the same as traditional butter. This creation is an attack on American farmers, the dairy industry, and the Trump Administration, which recently recognized butter as a healthy food under its newly announced dietary guidelines. The REAL Butter Act would simply ensure that this fake "butter" is labeled as "lab-created" directly on the product, so consumers are not confused about what they are buying. This commonsense bill would protect consumers by ensuring they can make informed decisions when choosing healthy, real dairy-based butter and allow dairy farmers to compete on a level playing field.

Representatives Tom Tiffany (R-WI), Derrick Van Orden (R-WI), Claudia Tenney (R-NY), John Rose (R-TN), and David Schweikert (R-AZ) are original cosponsors of this legislation.

Read the bill text HERE.