Food & Beverage Litigation & Regulatory Update

Tag: poultry

  • FSIS Seeking Comments on Use of “Natural” Claim for Meat and Poultry

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) to solicit public feedback on the conditions under which the agency should permit “natural” labeling claims for meat and poultry. The current FSIS standard states that minimally processed meat and poultry products can use the “natural”…

  • Poultry Plant Workers File Donning and Doffing Lawsuit

    South Carolina poultry production line workers have reportedly sued their employer, claiming they are not paid for the time they spend donning and removing safety gear. According to a news source, the complaint alleges that this can extend a worker’s shift by some 75 minutes each day. The employees also alleged that they are required…

  • Chicken Growers Lawsuit to Be Heard by En Banc Court of Appeals

    The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has decided to rehear a case involving the interpretation of the Packers and Stockyards Act as applied to contracts between chicken growers and a processor. Wheeler v. Pilgrim’s Pride Corp., No. 07-40651 (5th Cir., decided July 27, 2009). In 2008, a three-judge circuit panel decided that the law does not…

  • Tenth Circuit Refuses to Enjoin Use of Poultry Waste as Fertilizer

    The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed a lower court’s decision not to enjoin Tyson Foods, Inc. from using poultry litter as fertilizer. Oklahoma v. Tyson Foods, Inc., No. 08-5154 (10th Cir., decided May 13, 2009). Oklahoma’s attorney general sought a preliminary injunction to halt the practice, arguing that poultry litter contains E. coli,…

  • Consumer Advocates Protest Chicken Imports from China

    The consumer advocacy group Food & Water Watch (FWWatch) recently launched a campaign to block chicken imports from China, where several U.S. companies are reportedly building plants. Alleging that these corporations are “putting pressure” on lawmakers, FWWatch has asked Congress to uphold its 2008 ban on imported processed poultry in light of “specific problems” with China’s…

  • Insurer Not on the Hook for Settlement of Bad Faith Claim Involving Listeria Outbreak

    Pilgrim’s Pride Corp. settled claims that its insurance carrier unjustifiably refused to pay a significant portion of coverage owed to the food company arising out of a Listeria outbreak. The insurance company that agreed to provide coverage to Pilgrim’s insurer for any bad faith claims successfully mounted against it has been granted a declaratory judgment…

  • CBC Radio Highlights Future of In Vitro Meat, Sustainable Agriculture

    The CBC Radio program “Quirks and Quarks” recently featured the efforts of nonprofit research organization New Harvest to engineer meat cultures on a large scale for human consumption. Co-founded by doctoral student Jason Matheny of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, New Harvest harbors “the long-term goal of delivering economically competitive alternatives to…

  • Criminal Animal Abuse Charges Filed Against Former Turkey Farm Employees

    Video footage of former Aviagen Turkeys, Inc. employees allegedly abusing birds has reportedly led to criminal indictments for animal abuse. The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) apparently caught three turkey farm employees in the act, and 19 counts, including 11 felony charges, for cruelty to birds have been brought against them. Alabama-based…