Category: Issue 323
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British Ad Standards Authority Puts Stop to PETA “Meat Kills” Campaign
The U.K.’s Advertising Standards Authority has reportedly banned an advertising campaign launched by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), fearing that it would cause some readers to infer that eating meat causes swine flu. The ad stated in bold letters “Meat Kills: Go Vegetarian” and contained repeating background lines of text that said,…
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Ireland Adopts GM-Free Zone, Voluntary GM-Free Food Label
The Irish government reportedly plans to prohibit the cultivation of all genetically modified (GM) crops and will introduce a voluntary GM-free label for meat, poultry, eggs, fish, crustaceans, and dairy products made without the use of GM animal feed. Echoing a similar move by Germany, the policy specifies that the government will “declare the Republic…
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North Carolina Raises Health Insurance Fees for Obese State Employees, Smokers
The North Carolina State Health Plan (SHPNC) has reportedly approved fee increases for state employees who use tobacco or whose body mass index (BMI) qualifies them as obese. Under the new arrangement, private contractors hired by SHPNC will monitor workers’ weight and take saliva samples to test for cotinine, a nicotine derivative. The plan requires…
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California, Michigan Enact Animal Welfare Laws
California and Michigan have adopted laws that animal welfare groups have reportedly heralded as landmark legislation. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-Calif.) signed a bill (S.B. 135) prohibiting tail docking of dairy cows, a “ common and cruel mutilation,” according to the Humane Society of the United States. The California bill takes effect January 1, 2010. Michigan…
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Connecticut AG to Investigate “Smart Choices” Food Products
Connecticut Attorney General (AG) Richard Blumenthal has announced that his office will be investigating “a potentially misleading national food label program that deems mayonnaise, sugar-laden cereals and other nutritionally suspect foods ‘Smart Choices.’” Targeting Hellman’s Real mayonnaise (light and non-light), Breyer’s ice cream, processed cereals, and Lipton beverages bearing the symbol, Blumenthal is seeking information…
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Scientists Claim New FDA Research on BPA Unnecessary and Poorly Designed
Led by a University of Massachusetts biology professor, more than 30 scientists have reportedly written to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to express concern about the agency’s plans to further study the health effects of bisphenol A (BPA), a plasticizer ubiquitous to food packaging that has apparently been subject to more than 900 studies. According…
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GAO Identifies Collaboration and Enforcement Gaps in Imported Food Safety System
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has released a report prepared in response to congressional inquiries about the current system for ensuring the safety of imported foods. Titled “Agencies Need to Address Gaps in Enforcement and Collaboration to Enhance Safety of Imported Food,” the report focuses on Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the Food and Drug…
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Study Questions Effectiveness of South Los Angeles Fast-Food Restaurant Ban
A new Rand Corporation study claims that South Los Angeles’ 2008 ban on new or expanded fast-food restaurants is unlikely to improve residents’ diets or reduce obesity because the area actually has a lower concentration of these establishments per capita than other areas of the city. Researchers apparently discovered that South Los Angeles has an…