The plant-based food sector has topped $5 billion in sales in the U.S. and there seems to be a new company popping up every week with a new and innovative dairy or meat replacer.   Given that many of these new products pose a threat the well established industrial meat and dairy industries, there has been a significant amount of backlash against companies making plant-based products that are starting to capture more market share. That’s where my guest Michele Simon comes in. Michele is the executive director of the Plant Based Foods Association, a trade group with over 80 members, whose goal is to level the playing field for plant-based food. Michele is a public health lawyer who has been researching and writing about the food industry and food politics since 1996, so she knows the ins and outs of the tactics used by the meat and dairy lobby to deter competition. In our chat, we discuss the challenges facing plant-based food producers, from educating consumers to food labeling laws that prohibit dairy-free products from calling themselves milk or cheese. Most importantly, we cover what Michele and the Plant-Based Foods Association are doing to combat these issues and further the success of companies producing healthy, sustainable, plant-based foods. Increasingly, we’re seeing that the future of food is plant-based, so keep listening to hear how Michele intends to help make that possible. Support the Podcast for as low as $5 per month: https://www.patreon.com/eftp  Show notes for this episode: https://eftp.co/michele-simon   More about Eat For The Planet: https://eftp.co/ Newsletter signup: hhttps://eftp.co/newsletter Follow us on Facebook and Instagram Follow Nil Zacharias on Twitter