Category: Issue
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U.S. and Mexico Announce Organic Trade Partnership
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and the National Service for Animal and Plant Health, Food Safety and Quality of Mexico (SENASICA) have announced a joint Organic Compliance Committee to “ensure the integrity of organic products trade between the United States and Mexico.” With implementation of Mexico’s organic regulations slated for 2017,…
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FSIS Clarifies Guidelines on Substantiating Animal Raising Claims
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has updated its guidelines on the documentation needed to support animal-raising labeling claims, which include “Raised Without Antibiotics,” “Organic,” “Grass-Fed,” “Free-Range” and “Raised with the use of hormones.” Among other things, the agency requires the following information to support such claims: (i) “a detailed…
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Humane Society Files FTC Complaint on Chicken Welfare in Egg Production
The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) has reportedly filed a complaint with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) urging the agency to investigate Natural Pasteurized Eggs, producer of Davidson’s eggs, because the company allegedly keeps its “birds permanently locked in cages so tightly they can’t even spread their wings.” HSUS argues the packaging…
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J.R. Simplot Alleges McCain Foods Infringes Patent for Sidewinders® Twisted Fries
J.R. Simplot Co. has filed a patent infringement suit against McCain Foods USA, Inc. alleging McCain copied Simplot’s twisted potato fries product, Sidewinders®. J.R. Simplot Co. v. McCain Foods USA, Inc., No. 16-0449 (D. Idaho, filed October 7, 2016). Simplot asserts that its patent, “Spiral Potato Piece,” covers the ornamental features of Sidewinders®, including its…
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CSPI Alleges PepsiCo’s Naked Juices Mislead Consumers
Representing a group of three consumers, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has filed a lawsuit against PepsiCo, Inc. alleging the company’s Naked line misleads consumers by naming and labeling its juices with foods “perceived by consumers to be highly nutritious, like kale,” but manufacturing the products without “the ingredient profile represented.”…
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Castle Cheese Executive to Pay $5,000 over Adulterated Parmesan
Castle Cheese Inc. President Michelle Myrter has reportedly been sentenced to three years of probation, 200 hours of community service at a food bank and a $5,000 fine for misdemeanor charges of food adulteration for selling “100% Parmesan” cheese containing high levels of substitutes, including cellulose. Following a federal investigation and a raid on company…
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Snoop Dogg, Pabst Settle Endorsement Dispute
Rapper Snoop Dogg and Pabst Brewing Co. have reportedly reached an agreement to settle a lawsuit disputing a Colt 45® endorsement deal that the rapper argued entitled him to a portion of the proceeds when the brand was sold to Blue Ribbon Intermediate Holdings in 2014. Snoop Dogg’s claims survived Pabst’s motion to dismiss in…
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PCRM’s Lawsuit Alleging Inappropriate Influence on Cholesterol Guidelines Dismissed for Jurisdictional Issues
A California federal court has dismissed a lawsuit alleging the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) allowed the American Egg Board to unduly influence the government’s nutrition advice on dietary cholesterol. Physicians Comm. for Responsible Med. v. Vilsack, No. 16-0069 (N.D. Cal., San Francisco Div., order entered October 12,…