Food & Beverage Litigation & Regulatory Update

Category: U.S. Government and Regulatory Agencies

  • APHIS Adds Two Public Meetings on Animal Disease Traceability System

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has announced two regional public meetings for public comment on the Animal Disease Traceability (ADT) system. The meetings will be in Omaha, Nebraska, on July 18, 2017, and Fort Worth, Texas, on July 20, 2017. APHIS is seeking comment from the cattle and…

  • Advocacy Groups Sue FDA for Menu Info Delay

    The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) and National Consumers League have filed a lawsuit alleging the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) decision to delay implementation of rules requiring chain restaurants and food sellers to display nutritional information violated the Administrative Procedure Act. Ctr. for Sci. in the Pub. Interest v. Price, No. 17­-1085 (D.D.C., filed…

  • TTB to Allow Voluntary Nutritional Content Statements on Alcoholic Beverages

    The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) has issued a May 28, 2013, ruling that will allow alcoholic beverage manufacturers “to provide consumers with nutritional information about their products.” Acting under the authority of the Federal Alcohol Administration Act, TTB will permit the use of “Serving Facts” statements…

  • APHIS Hosts Public Meetings on GMOs

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will host public meetings to hear comments on proposed revisions to regulations governing importation, interstate movement and environmental release of certain genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Public meetings will be held in Kansas City, Missouri; Davis, California; Riverdale, Maryland; and via…

  • Washington Post Details Fraudulent Corn and Soybean Imports

    A Washington Post report tracking multiple shipments of corn and soybeans imported from Turkey has purportedly found that the food was sold in the U.S. market fraudulently labeled as organic. The article argues that U.S. Department of Agriculture organic standards create loopholes that allow fraud to slip through. Organic corn and soybeans grown outside of…

  • California Growers Sue to Stop Imports of Argentine Lemons

    A group of California citrus growers has sued the U.S. Department of Agriculture seeking to stop implementation of a new rule that would lift the ban on importation of lemons from Argentina, claiming the rule violates both “sound science and good public policy.” U.S. Citrus Sci. Council v. USDA, No. 17­-0680 (E.D. Cal., filed May…

  • NAD Recommends Kauai Coffee Change “Compostable” Ads for Its Single-Serve Pods

    Even if Kauai Coffee pods are “certified 100% compostable,” as its ads claim, the National Advertising Division (NAD) says the company does not make clear to consumers that the pods can only be composted in industrial facilities rather than backyard compost piles. NAD has recommended that Kauai discontinue existing print and website advertising or modify…

  • Bumble Bee Pleads Guilty to Felony in Price-Fixing Conspiracy

    Bumble Bee Foods, LLC has agreed to plead guilty to one felony count for its role in a conspiracy to fix prices of shelf­-stable tuna and will pay a minimum $25 ­million fine. U.S. v. Bumble Bee Foods LLC, No. 17­-CR-­249 (N.D. Cal. May 8, 2017). According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Bumble Bee…