U.S. Rep. Tony Wied, a Republican representing Wisconsin’s 8th CD, has introduced the Recognizing Engineered Alternatives as Lab-Created, or REAL Butter Act, to establish labeling requirements for lab-made butter products, addressing what he calls “an attack on American farmers.” The bill would require lab-made butter products to be labeled as such to distinguish them from traditional dairy products, aiming to “promote transparency, protect consumer choice, and support Wisconsin dairy farmers.” Wied’s office stated that “America’s dairy farmers put in the work every day” and “should not have to compete with products that hide behind vague or misleading labels.” The announcement references an effort in Illinois to develop lab-grown butter from carbon dioxide rather than cow’s milk, backed by Bill Gates, which Wied’s office calls “fake butter made from thin air” representing an assault on U.S. farmers, the dairy industry, and the Trump administration. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is calling for “evangelizing real food” in new dietary guidelines, pointing to whole milk and full-fat dairy products as preferred options. The issue of product labeling for dairy substitutes is getting bipartisan attention among Wisconsin’s federal lawmakers; U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin last year helped introduce the DAIRY PRIDE Act of 2025, seeking to “crack down on the unfair practice” of labeling non-dairy products with dairy names.