USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) denied the Environmental Working Group’s petition demanding more policing of climate claims as recently as Aug. 28. But EWG did not wait long before choosing a target and filing a federal lawsuit.
The environmental and consumer organization filed a lawsuit against Tyson Foods Inc., the second largest meat company in the U.S.
and the world, accusing the company of making “false or misleading” marketing claims targeting D.C. consumers concerned about climate change.
In denying the petition, FSIS said it requires independent third-party verification and a numerical carbon disclosure whenever such claims are made on beef product packaging. It said the EWG petition was denied “after careful consideration of the petition and comments., The Environmental Working Group filed a 33-page complaint in the D.
C. Superior Court under the District of Columbia Consumer Protection Procedures Act, or CPPA. The suit challenges Tyson’s claims that its industrial meat production operations will reach net-zero greenhouse gas, or GHG, emissions by 2050 and that it produces “climate-smart” beef.
Many government climate claims use 2050 as the year when goals will be achieved. The lawsuit seeks to stop Tyson from continuing to make these “unsubstantiated” environmental claims. The groups are calling for Tyson to retract its misleading statements and to be held accountable for violating the CPPA.
Tyson, which produces about 20 percent .