Regulation
Daily Sound Bite: Beef Group Balks at Greenhouse Gas Regs
April 24, 2013 12:36 pm | News | CommentsThe National Cattleman's Beef Association has filed a petition with the U.S. Supreme Court challenging an EPA finding that greenhouse gasses are a threat to public health and welfare. The EPA has proposed a ruling to limit greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles.
BPI To Pay $450K for Waterloo Accident
April 24, 2013 12:35 pm | News | CommentsBeef Products Inc. has agreed to pay a $450,000 civil penalty to settle alleged violations of Clean Air Act regulations from a 2007 incident at a now-closed Waterloo packing plant which killed a worker and injured another. In the accident more than 1,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia was released into an area occupied by workers and two became trapped.
EEOC: Disabled Workers Were Exploited, Abused
April 24, 2013 9:33 am | by RYAN J. FOLEY,Associated Press | News | CommentsA Texas company profited from dozens of mentally disabled men working at a turkey processing plant in rural Iowa where they were physically and verbally abused and forced to live in filthy, rodent-infested conditions, a government attorney told jurors on Tuesday.
Judge Orders New Deadline for Food Safety Reforms
April 24, 2013 9:31 am | News | CommentsA federal judge is siding with two California advocacy groups in ruling that the Food and Drug Administration must set a new timetable to implement delayed food safety reforms. U.S. District Judge Phyllis J. Hamilton in Oakland, Calif. handed down the decision on Monday.
Photo of the Day: 'An Atmosphere of Fear and Intimidation'
April 24, 2013 9:28 am | News | CommentsThe U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is suing Henry's Turkey Service on behalf of 32 former workers whom it housed and oversaw while they worked at West Liberty Foods. The commission is expected to seek unspecified compensatory and punitive damages against Henry's for allegedly subjecting the men to abuse that "created an atmosphere of fear and intimidation," court filings show.
Daily Sound Bite: Claims of Abuse at Turkey Company
April 23, 2013 12:47 pm | News | CommentsThe EEOC is suing a now-defunct company that helped disabled men find work at turkey processing companies. The federal commission is alleging abuse that "created an atmosphere of fear and intimidation" by a couple who supervised the men.
Beef Association Challenges Greenhouse Gas Regs
April 23, 2013 12:32 pm | News | CommentsThe National Cattlemen’s Beef Association along with the Coalition for Responsible Regulation filed a petition April 18 in the United States Supreme Court challenging the Environmental Protection Agency’s finding that greenhouse gases endanger public health and welfare, its rule to limit GHG from passenger vehicles and its “timing” and “tailoring” rules that govern GHG permit applicability at stationary sources.
Livestock Disaster Protection Act Introduced in House
April 23, 2013 9:46 am | News | CommentsThe National Cattlemen’s Beef Association supports the efforts of U.S. Rep. Kristi Noem in introducing legislation that would provide a safety net for livestock owners across the nation. Under the Livestock Disaster Protection Act, the Livestock Indemnity Program, the Livestock Forage Program and the Emergency Livestock Assistance Program would be extended for five years.
Daily Sound Bite: Farmer Wins Soft Victory Against Corporate Farming Law
April 22, 2013 1:15 pm | News | CommentsTexas Farm ended its suit against Iowa with both parties agreeing to concessions. The corporate farm has agreed to make room for the rights of local farmers as long as Iowa agrees not to enforce its law prohibiting meat processors from owning livestock.
Iowa Settles Challenge to Corporate Farming Law
April 22, 2013 9:43 am | by DAVID PITT,Associated Press | News | CommentsA Texas hog farm that sued Iowa over an often-challenged law that prohibits meat processors from owning livestock has agreed to guarantee certain rights to local farmers in exchange for the state not enforcing the law, the attorney general said Friday. Texas Farm, a hog producer based in based in Perryton, Texas, became the latest company to sue the state over the law earlier this month.
First Amendment Thwarts Bill Shielding Meat Processors
April 18, 2013 12:36 pm | News | CommentsAfter a number of concerns were brought to the table questioning potential labor and First Amendment violations, a California bill that would have put restrictions on the activities of those who film animal abuses at meat processing facilities and slaughterhouses has been killed.
Using Risk Analysis in Food Safety Processes
April 18, 2013 12:31 pm | News | CommentsWhile "hazard-based decision-making" has been, and often still is, the norm, governments around the world are adopting Risk Analysis (RA) as the framework for risk-based decision-making. Unilever has adopted this governmental model to risk-based decision-making and the science/technologies involved in it into our food safety assurance approach to innovating and marketing food products.
Calif. Bill To Thwart Animal Investigations Dies
April 18, 2013 12:22 pm | by TRACIE CONE,Associated Press | News | CommentsAfter weeks of opposition from animal welfare advocates, labor groups and First Amendment experts, a California assembly member withdrew a bill that would limit undercover abuse investigations before it could advance past its first step. California now joins Arkansas and Wyoming in declining in recent weeks to advance bills that seek to punish the documenter of farm animal abuse rather than the abuse itself.
Okla. Governor Signs Home Bakery Act into Law
April 18, 2013 9:49 am | News | CommentsLegislation that allows small home bakeries to operate without a food preparation license has been signed into law by Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin. Fallin signed the Home Bakery Act on Monday. The Oklahoma House approved the legislation without opposition in March. The state Senate passed the bill last week.
Sen. Schumer: Immigration Bill Would Help Northeast Farmers
April 18, 2013 9:47 am | by MARY ESCH,Associated Press | News | Comments"There's going to be a lot of relief for our dairy farmers, our apple growers and our other specialty crop growers," Schumer said. "I think we're going to see our agriculture industry start growing at a much greater pace because of this bill."
Man Sentenced To Death for Bakery Blast
April 18, 2013 9:40 am | News | CommentsA court has sentenced a man to death for a bomb attack that killed 17 people three years ago at a bakery popular with tourists in western India. Judge N.P. Dhote sentenced Mirza Himayat Baig on Thursday after finding him guilty of murder and conspiracy in the February 2010 blast at the German Bakery in Pune in Maharashtra state. Six other suspects are still at large.
Daily Sound Bite: Food Seized at Infested Warehouse
April 17, 2013 12:30 pm | News | CommentsThe FDA initiated a seizure by U.S. Marshals of food manufacured in a rodent-infested warehouse that processes and distributes kosher food products. Evidence of rodent activity, including rodent droppings and at least one dead rodent, were found in the facility.
Idaho Rancher Urges Appropriators to Provide Ranchers Stability
April 17, 2013 12:21 pm | News | CommentsThe Public Lands Council Vice President Brenda Richards urged the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies to improve business stability for ranchers through well-placed appropriation of funding to federal agencies.
FDA: U.S. Marshals Seize Food at Rodent-Infested Facility
April 17, 2013 12:17 pm | News | CommentsU.S. Marshals have seized food products at a Ridgewood, N.Y. warehouse that manufactures and distributes kosher food products, after investigators from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration found widespread rodent infestation in the facility.
Brewers: Minn. Alcohol Tax Hike Will Hit Consumers
April 17, 2013 12:11 pm | by KYLE POTTER, Associated Press | News | CommentsLawmakers' plan to boost alcohol taxes in Minnesota, proposed to help the state raise revenue and pay for the social costs of alcoholism, could add as much as $2 to the cost of a standard 12-pack of beer, local brewers and liquor lobbyists said Tuesday as they tried to rally opposition to the proposed tax spike.
Vt. Co-Ops Push for GMO Labeling
April 17, 2013 9:53 am | by LISA RATHKE, Associated Press | News | CommentsOne of the most common questions these days among customers at Vermont's food cooperatives is whether the food they're buying contains genetically modified ingredients — but the member-owned cooperatives say they can't tell their customers for sure.
Brazilian Meat Packers Face Fines Over Illegal Cattle
April 17, 2013 9:49 am | News | CommentsA statement from the office of federal prosecutors in Brazil says prosecutors in Amazon jungle states want Brasil Foods and other companies to pay 557 million reals ($278.5 million) for producing beef products from cattle raised in environmentally sensitive regions
Conn. Bill Requires Labeling of BPA
April 17, 2013 9:46 am | News | CommentsConnecticut lawmakers are considering a bill that would ban food packaging containing the plastics chemical, bisphenol A, unless the packaging has a clear warning label. The proposed ban would take effect on Jan. 1, requiring the warning label to be in a clear, legible, uniform, boldface font.
India: Man Convicted of Murder for Bakery Blast
April 15, 2013 12:15 pm | News | CommentsA court in India on Monday convicted a man of murder for a bomb blast that killed 17 people three years ago at a popular bakery in western India. The court also found Mirza Himayat Baig guilty of criminal conspiracy in the February 2010 blast at the German Bakery in the city of Pune, in the western Indian state of Maharashtra.
Prosecutor: Barn with Animal Carcasses ‘Unprecedented’
April 15, 2013 9:38 am | News | CommentsA prosecutor said Friday that an Indiana barn where investigators found starving animals living on top of more than 100 rotting carcasses was the worst case of animal cruelty he has seen, while one of the owners maintains that the conditions have been exaggerated.
