Press Releases
WASHINGTON, D.C. - August 19, 2020 - Organic Consumers Association (OCA) sued D’Artagnan, the largest distributor of foie gras in the U.S., for deceptive marketing and advertising of foie gras, sold under the D’Artagnan brand.
The action was filed by Richman Law Group on behalf of OCA, in D.C. Superior Court under the D.C. Consumer Protection Procedures Act.
“Increasingly, consumers are aligning their food purchases with their personal values,” said Ronnie Cummins, OCA’s international director. “That’s especially true when it comes to the humane treatment of animals.
“Surveys consistently show that consumers place a high value on animal welfare and are willing to pay more for brands that adhere to high animal welfare standards,” Cummins said. “Consumers must be protected from false and misleading advertising and marketing claims, and corporations like D’Artagnan must be held accountable for the claims they make.”
Organic Consumers Association (OCA) filed suit against Champion Petfoods USA and Champion Petfoods LP for deceptive marketing and advertising of pet foods marketed under the Orijen and Acana brand names.
The action was filed by Richman Law Group on behalf of OCA, in D.C. Superior Court under the D.C. Consumer Protection Procedures Act.
“Animal welfare concerns rank high with consumers and contribute significantly to their decisions when it comes to buying meat and poultry products,” said OCA International Director, Ronnie Cummins. “Whether that animal is destined for human consumption, or for pet food, the decision-making process is the same.
Organic Consumers Association (OCA) filed suit against Mowi USA and Mowi Ducktrap for deceptive marketing and advertising of smoked Atlantic salmon products sold under the Ducktrap River of Maine brand.
The action was filed by Richman Law Group on behalf of OCA, in D.C. Superior Court under the D.C. Consumer Protection Procedures Act.
“Most consumers choosing a smoked Atlantic salmon product with the words ‘All Natural’ on the package would be surprised to learn that that salmon was raised in a crowded pen where it was treated with artificial chemicals, including pesticides and medically important antibiotics,” said OCA International Director, Ronnie Cummins.
The Organic Consumers Association (OCA), Forward Latino, Socially Responsible Agricultural Project (SRAP), Dr. Mercola and U.S. Farmers & Ranchers for a Green New Deal, today launched the “Boycott Big Meat” national consumer education and lobbying campaign.
The campaign is endorsed by 50+ groups, including Cedar Rapids, Iowa Sunrise Hub and Iowa Alliance for Responsible Agriculture.
Join the virtual press conference July 14, 7 p.m. CDT.
“Consumers must lead the just transition to a decentralized system of organic regenerative pasture-raised/grass-fed meat production, run by a diverse network of local/regional independent farmers, ranchers, processors and retailers who are committed to fair pay and safe working conditions, and environmental and climate justice,” said Ronnie Cummins, OCA’s international director.
WASHINGTON, D.C. - July 2, 2020 - In a complaint filed with the Federal Trade Commission, Organic Consumers Association, Animal Equality and Food & Water Watch accused Tyson Foods of misleading consumers by falsely claiming that Tyson chicken products are produced in a natural, environmentally responsible and humane way.
The complaint, filed on behalf of the groups by Richman Law Group, asks that the FTC investigate and take action to enjoin Tyson from making false and misleading product claims.
“Surveys consistently show that consumers seek meat products free of unnatural substances and produced sustainably and humanely,” said OCA’s international director, Ronnie Cummins. “We look to the FTC for oversight and enforcement to protect consumers against deceptive product claims.”
The Organic Consumers Association today announced that it has sued Smithfield Foods for falsely advertising Smithfield pork products as the “safest” U.S. pork products.
The complaint was filed on behalf of OCA by Richman Law Group in D.C. Superior Court, under the D.C. Consumer Protection Procedures Act.
“Consumers are unlikely to know that the USDA has notified Smithfield slaughter plants on multiple occasions that their pork was more likely to be contaminated with salmonella than similar products in slaughter plants of the same size,” said Ronnie Cummins, OCA co-founder and director.
FINLAND, Minn. - Organic Consumers Association (OCA) and Clean Label Project (CLP) today released a new report revealing that many of the top-selling collagen peptide supplements sold on Amazon.com contain measurable levels of heavy metals.
Organic Consumers Association and Clean Label Project used the Amazon.com bestsellers list and Clean Label Project 2018’s protein powder investigation results as sources for the 28 products chosen for the study. Product samples were procured from local, national and online retailers using Clean Label Project’s Consumer Chain of Custody and Sampling Methodology.
The Organic Consumers Association (OCA) has sued Happy Egg Co. for false, deceptive and misleading advertising claims related to the use of the term “pasture raised.”
“Surveys confirm that animal welfare practices rank high on the list of consumer concerns,” said Ronnie Cummins, OCA’s co-founder and director. “By falsely claiming that the eggs it sells are ‘pasture raised,’ Happy Egg deceives consumers and diverts consumers’ spending dollars from competitors whose eggs come from farms that meet a true pasture-raised standard. Consumers who purchase Happy Eggs believing that they are supporting a certain animal-welfare standard are being cheated.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Attorneys for Organic Consumers Association (OCA) filed a limited motion for summary judgment, with the D.C. Superior Court, in the nonprofit’s false advertising lawsuit, filed in July 2018, against Unilever-owned Ben & Jerry’s.
The motion asks the court to find that Ben & Jerry’s falsely claimed that its “Caring Dairy” animal husbandry standards were “required for all farmers” who supplied the dairy used in its products. The motion states that Ben & Jerry’s admitted that it uses milk from “conventional dairy sources” that do not adhere to “Caring Dairy” standards.
“Consumer protection laws are intended to protect consumers from advertising, marketing and packaging claims that are patently false,” said Ronnie Cummins, OCA’s international director. “This goal will be achieved only if companies like Unilever are challenged when they make false claims about their brands, and held accountable by the courts. OCA’s mission includes working on behalf of consumers to make sure our legal system defends consumer rights.”
Organic Consumers Association (OCA) today issued the following statement upon learning that Ben & Jerry’s will no longer claim on product packaging that its ice cream comes from “happy cows”:
"The removal of misleading ‘happy cow’ claims is a victory for consumers and an indication that Ben & Jerry’s can’t back up those claims,” said OCA International Director Ronnie Cummins. “But this is just one small step toward more honest representation of the Ben & Jerry’s brand. OCA will continue, through our own ongoing litigation against Ben & Jerry’s and its parent company, Unilever, to push for Ben & Jerry’s either to live up to its remaining marketing claims, or to remove all claims that have no basis in fact.”
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