Cargill sued by nonprofit FACT for violating DC consumer law by misleading customers about sustainable, humane, and "independent family farm" sourcing

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Food Animal Concerns Trust ("FACT") has sued Cargill, Inc. ("Cargill") for misleading consumers by representing that its Honeysuckle White and Shady Brook Farms turkey products are environmentally friendly, and that the turkeys are treated humanely and raised by "independent family farmers." FACT is a national nonprofit consumer group that promotes policies to hold industrial agribusinesses accountable for the harms they cause, advocates for environmental sustainability, and helps consumers make informed food choices by working to promote truth in advertising.

The lawsuit complaint alleges that Cargill is a major polluter employing industrial poultry practices that are inherently hazardous and contribute to the growth of harmful antibiotic-resistant pathogens. The complaint also alleges that Cargill sources its turkey from facilities where birds are confined in unsanitary, overcrowded, and barren industrial warehouses. Finally, the complaint alleges that Cargill raises turkeys on large, industrial, corporate-controlled farms.

The action was filed Tuesday, Dec. 14, on behalf of FACT by Richman Law & Policy in D.C. Superior Court under the D.C. Consumer Protection Procedures Act. FACT is not asking the court for damages, but seeks to end Cargill's unlawful conduct directed at D.C. consumers.

"Cargill knows consumers care about buying poultry products that are produced sustainably and humanely. That's exactly why the company uses greenwashing techniques, claiming its 'independent' farmers are 'good stewards of the land' when in fact Cargill imposes unsustainable practices upon farmers," said FACT's Executive Director Harry Rhodes.

The lawsuit alleges that Cargill's industrial poultry production practices lead to pollution of the surrounding soil, air, and water, with significant impacts on public and environmental health. The 24-page complaint also notes:

• USDA testing at Cargill turkey plants detected Salmonella strains that are resistant to highly important antibiotics and commonly associated with illness.
• Scientists have found that the extreme deprivation and overcrowding typical on such poultry farms causes psychological distress, leading to harmful behaviors, including feather-pecking and cannibalism.

The suit also alleges that consumers will pay more for animal products advertised as humanely raised. A 2015 survey found that 84% of consumers believe it is important to improve living conditions for animals.

SOURCE Richman Law & Policy