| A supplier to Dean Foods Co., the
nation’s largest dairy processor, has been accused of confining its
cows on a feedlot instead of letting them roam on pasture—in
defiance of federal rules on organic production.
Cornucopia Institute asked the US
Department of Agriculture to investigate the Fagundes Brothers Dairy
after officials from the Institute and other neighboring organic
dairy farmers reported seeing cows being confined, even in good
weather. According to federal law, dairy marketed as organic must
come from cows who have access to pasture.
Certified organic six years ago
after transitioning from a conventional operation, the Fagundes
facility milks about 3,000 cows on three sites. The owner says he
pastures his cows on about 700 acres roughly from May through
September, depending on weather, though Cornucopia Institute reports
there is evidence against this claim. |
| Eight years ago, 3-year-old
Brianna Kriefall and 140 other people became ill after eating at a
Sizzler in South Milwaukee. E. coli-contaminated meat that had come
from Excel Corp., a subsidiary of Cargill, had been served at the
restaurant. Though Brianna did not eat the meat, she did eat
watermelon that had been contaminated by it, and she died as a
result. Initially, Excel denied that its product caused the
outbreak, but genetic testing proved otherwise. In June, the company
agreed to pay Brianna’s family $13.5 million, the second-largest
settlement in the nation involving a food-borne illness, and perhaps
the largest award for a single victim. |
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The conditions
under which Tysons raises its chickens are anything but
“natural.” PETA
|
Last year, Tyson Foods, Inc. began
a media campaign using advertisements dishonestly claiming that its
chickens are “raised without antibiotics.” The multimillion dollar
effort, which resulted in an additional 70 million pounds of chicken
sold by the company last year, included posters and brochures
distributed to 8,500 grocery stores across the country.
However, Tyson’s efforts to dupe
the public were soon uncovered by the company’s competitors.
Sanderson Farms and Perdue Farms sought an injunction against the
firm, arguing that Tyson’s “raised without antibiotics” claim
misleads consumers and has caused irreparable harm by implying
products from competitors contain antibiotics or dangerous
additives. While the deceptive new campaign was a major success for
Tyson last year, Sanderson and Perdue reported respective losses of
a $4 million account and $10 million in revenue.
Meanwhile, Tyson officials have
admitted to engaging in the “common industry practice” of injecting
eggs with antibiotics a few days before they hatch. A representative
of the company said injecting eggs with antibiotics does not go
against the label because the term “raised” only covers the period
that begins with hatching. In addition, Tyson puts another type of
antibiotic known as an ionophore in the feed given its chickens.
Ionophores, which are not used to treat human diseases, are commonly
given to industrially raised farm animals. Ionophores are also used
by Sanderson and Perdue.
Finally, Tyson was ordered by a US
District Court in April to remove all of its advertisements that
claim that its chickens are raised without antibiotics. However,
since May, consumers in several states have also been filing suit to
challenge the marketing claim, alleging false advertising throughout
the entire campaign and seeking compensation.
In addition to the legal actions
against Tyson by its competitors and consumers, the US Department of
Agriculture’s Food and Safety Inspection Service (FSIS), which had
originally supported the company’s request to label its products as
antibiotic free, has changed its position. Now that it has all the
data available, including the ruling from US District Court, the
FSIS has rejected both the original label claim and a revised
version proposed by Tyson, which stated “raised without antibiotics
that impact human antibiotic resistance.” |
