Question 1

Beyond Pesticides v. Sargento Foods Inc., No. 2021 CA 000178 B (D.C. Super. Ct.)"

Accepted Answer

Beyond Pesticides, a non-profit organization, filed suit against Sargento Foods Inc. alleging that Sargento’s cheese products, labeled as containing “no antibiotics,” were in fact made with milk from cows raised with antibiotics, including the antibiotic sulfamethazine, and sometimes contained antibiotics. Read the complaint here.

Question 2

Organic Consumers Association v. The Kraft Heinz Company, No. 2020 CA 005036 B (D.C. Super. Ct.)"

Accepted Answer

The Organic Consumers Association, a non-profit organization, filed suit against The Kraft Heinz Company alleging that Kraft’s “natural” cheese products were in fact made with the artificial growth hormone rbST. Read the complaint here.

Question 3

Marshall v. Red Lobster Management LLC et al., 2:21-cv-04786-JAK-MAR (C.D. Cal.)"

Accepted Answer

Dezzi Rae Marshall, on behalf of a class, filed suit against Red Lobster Management LLC alleging that Red Lobster's Maine lobster and shrimp were sourced from suppliers that use environmentally harmful and inhumane practices. The complaint alleges that Red Lobster’s “sustainable” claim is false, deceptive, and misleading. The Maine Lobster Products are sourced from suppliers that use environmentally destructive practices that threaten endangered populations of North American right whales. Furthermore, the Shrimp Products are sourced from industrial shrimp farms that use environmentally destructive and inhumane practices. Read the complaint here.

Question 4

Animal Outlook v. Cooke Aquaculture, No. 2020 CA 002908 (D.C. Sup. Ct.)"

Accepted Answer

Defendants filed a consumer protection suit against Cooke—one of the largest salmon producers in North America—alleging that Cooke misrepresented its salmon products. Cooke claimed its salmon was “sustainably” farmed. The complaint alleges that Cooke employs production practices that are unnatural, environmentally destructive, and inhumane.​​ Read more on Animal Outlook's page here.   Read the complaint here.

Question 5

Organic Consumers Association v. Handsome Brook Farm, LLC, et al.  No. 2016 CA 006223 B (D.C. Sup. Ct.)"

Accepted Answer

The Organic Consumers Association (OCA), a non-profit organization, filed suit against Handsome Brook Farm® alleging that Handsome Brook Farm’s eggs labeled as “Pasture Raised” were, in fact, from producers not engaged in pasture-raising hens, and that some farms within Handsome Brook’s own farm network did not live up to its internal standards for pasture raising. The parties reached a resolution where Handsome Brook acknowledged shortcomings identified by OCA and implemented a new internal auditing program as well as third-party auditing, in coordination with OCA, for 18 months. This oversight is being conducted on a quarterly basis by an independent auditor who reviews Handsome Brook’s purchase-and-sale records, as well as records from Handsome Brook Farm’s network of egg farmers. This additional review of Handsome Brook’s operations will help ensure that it remains an honest producer and marketer of pasture-raised eggs. Read the complaint here.

Question 6

Gibson v. Bartlett Dairy, Inc., et al. 1:20-CV-02848-NGG-SJB"

Accepted Answer

Andrew Gibson, on behalf of a class, filed suit against Bartlett Dairy, Inc. and Farmland Fresh Dairies, LLC alleging that Farmland misled consumers by labeling their dairy products with "no antibiotics." The complaint alleges that the “No Antibiotics” claim is false, deceptive, and misleading. The Products are produced by cows who receive antibiotics. Some of these products still contained antibiotics and were sold to consumers. Read the complaint here.

Question 7

GMO Free USA dba Toxin Free USA v. Aldi Inc., No. 2021 CA 001694 B (D.C. Super. Ct.)"

Accepted Answer

Toxin Free USA, a non-profit organization, filed suit against Aldi Inc. alleging that Aldi’s salmon was sourced from industrial fish farms that used environmentally destructive and inhumane practices. The complaint alleges that Aldi’s “sustainable” claim is false, deceptive, and misleading. The Salmon Products are sourced from Chilean fish farms that use net pen aquaculture and large amounts of toxins and pesticides like ethoxyquin. Read the complaint here.