Tyson Foods Misleads Consumers with Bogus Claims
July 18, 2019 | Katherine Paul
Organic Consumers Association
In 2016, the Environment America Research & Policy Center reported that Tyson Foods, one of the world’s largest meat and poultry producers, dumps more toxic pollution into the nation’s waters than any other agribusiness corporation, and produces the most animal manure of five major companies assessed nationwide.
Yet Tyson continues to falsely claim that the company cares about being “stewards of the land.” In its marketing and advertising materials, Tyson brags about its “commitment to conservation” and its “dedication to environmental leadership.”
We don’t think false claims like these are harmless. And we believe the courts won’t either.
OCA and Food & Water Watch sued Tyson this week for deliberately misleading consumers with false claims about the company’s environmental and animal welfare claims.
If you care about the environment. If you care about animal welfare. If you care about how food is produced. If you care about holding corporations accountable for the claims they make, you’ll want to read this lawsuit.
Our detailed complaint is filled with fun facts about what’s really goes into making Tyson chicken products—anti-parasitic drugs, antibiotic-resistant pathogens, formaldehyde, hazardous disinfectant chemicals—and how a company that claims it cares about the humane treatment of animals crowds tens of thousands of birds into industrial warehouses.
It’s a real eye-opener.
Tyson is no stranger to legal woes. The company is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice for price fixing. And according to the website, Violation Tracker, Tyson has paid out $164.2 million (peanuts for a company with $40 billion in annual sales) since 2000 related to a total of 264 violations, for everything from food safety and environmental violations, to employment discrimination and violations under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.