Category: Issue
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Court Denies Environmental Groups’ Intervention in Seafood Traceability Case
A federal court has ruled that three environmental groups lack standing to intervene in a lawsuit to block implementation of the Seafood Import Monitoring Program. Alfa Int’l Seafood v. Ross, No. 170031 (D.D.C., order entered April 17, 2017). The court held that the Natural Resources Defense Council, Oceana and the Center for Biological Diversity failed…
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NAD Recommends Changes to Beech-Nut Baby Food Ads
After reviewing a challenge by the maker of Gerber baby foods, the National Advertising Division (NAD) has recommended that Beech-Nut Nutrition discontinue several advertising claims but rejected complaints that Beech-Nut’s ads implied its baby foods are fresh. NAD warned Beech-Nut against use of the term “coldpuree” unless it “conspicuously” explains that foods are cooked after…
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WTO Rules Against U.S. in Tuna Controversy, Awards Mexico $163 Million
The World Trade Organization (WTO) has held that Mexico can impose $163 million in trade sanctions against the United States for enacting tougher “dolphin-safe” requirements on fish caught in a part of the Pacific Ocean used primarily by Mexican fishers. The decades-long dispute began when international conservation efforts pressured countries to protect dolphins, which commonly…
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U.S.-Canada Trade Dispute Centers on Milk
President Donald Trump has indicated that he will attempt to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement after making several negative comments about Canada’s dairy pricing. The dispute centers on ultra-filtered milk, a product used in the production of cheese that U.S. dairy farmers previously sold to Canadian companies. After Canadian dairy farmers in Ontario…
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Proposed SSB Tax Withdrawn in Mass.
A Massachusetts house bill proposing a one- and two-cent tax per fluid ounce of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) has been withdrawn during a state budget hearing. The tax would have applied to SSBs containing more than five grams of sugar but excluded 100-percent juice, milk substitutes, infant formula and beverages for medicinal use. Although sponsor Kay…
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Silverman Analyzes Increase in “Shake the Box” Lawsuits for Law360
Shook, Hardy & Bacon Partner Cary Silverman explains in an April 17, 2017, Law360 article that a six-fold growth in slack-fill lawsuits stems from a “precise template” developed by plaintiffs’ lawyers seeking to pressure companies into outofcourt settlements. “I call them ‘shake the box’ lawsuits,” reports Silverman. “If you can hear the product shake, you’ve…
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Burger King Ad Invoking Google Home Stirs Up Attention
A Burger King advertisement featuring a prompt for Google Home, a voice-powered digital-assistant device, has caught media attention as an interesting but flawed method of incorporating artificial intelligence into a food-marketing campaign. The 15-second ad features a Burger King employee noting the ad is too short to explain the ingredients, stating Google Home’s trigger, “OK,…
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EFSA Reassessment Finds No Safety Concern for Use of Acacia Gum
The Panel of Food Additives and Nutrient Sources added to Food, a branch of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), has conducted a reassessment on the effects of acacia gum used in food products and reportedly found 30,000 milligrams per person per day to be well-tolerated. The scientific opinion apparently found no carcinogenic or other…