Manitoba cattle producers want makers of meat alternatives to call it like it is.

Terms like “plant-based meat” might mislead people grazing store shelves or restaurant menus, Manitoba Beef Producers president Tom Teichroeb said on Friday.

“You should never be able to legally name something and define something that it’s not,” said Teichroeb. “You don’t sell bubble gum as steak, and it’s not advertised in the store as steak.”

California-based company Beyond Meat made its grocery store debut in Canada this spring, just in time for barbeque season.

It’s also cracked the fast-food market, with Winnipeggers among the crowd now seeing Beyond Meat burgers and breakfast sandwiches at A&W and Tim Hortons.

And the brave new world of burgers seems to be gaining traction across the country.

A poll from Angus Reid Global, in partnership with Dalhousie University, found that by April 2019, 38 per cent of Canadians had tried a plant-based protein food item in recent months.

While the choice is theirs to make, Teichroeb said Manitobans need to understand the different nutritional values of plant-based protein and meat -- and he’s not alone.

The Quebec Cattle Producers Federation recently filed a complaint with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) against Beyond Meat over its use of the term “plant-based meat” on social media and promotional materials.

“I think provincial pressure is important,” said Teichroeb. “But I think eventually it has to capture the larger umbrella of national associations and international industry to make sure were all consistent and were all speaking the same language.”

The Canadian Cattlemen's Association is working closely with its U.S. counterparts to reach that goal, said Teichroeb.

For now, the CFIA does have rules around veggie burgers that resemble meat. Simulated meat products must clearly display the phrase “contains no meat” or “contains no poultry” on the front of packaging, which cannot have any images that suggest the product contains meat.

In a statement to CTV News, Beyond Meat said it takes regulatory compliance “very seriously” and is “reviewing internally to ensure we comply with Canadian regulations.”

With files from CTVNews.ca’s Graham Slaughter