Once upon a time, not very long ago, you went to the grocery store — not a big box store, or a warehouse club or online — and bought “chicken.” Now the poultry section can be a confusing mish-mash of labels that may not mean what consumers think they mean, or may not mean anything at all. [More]
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“Organic” Chicken Is Different Than “Antibiotic-Free” And “Natural” Means Nothing
By 12.19.13 — Updated: 12.19.16
Why Are Poultry Processing Plants Boiling Millions Of Birds Alive?
By 10.30.13
Most Americans eat meat, but that doesn’t mean that they want the animals destined for their plates to suffer a painful death. Yet U.S. Department of Agriculture records show that every year, almost a million birds are plunged into boiling water by accident because of small failures within the largely mechanized slaughter process. [More]
Health Officials Ask Stores To Yank Fat-Burning Supplement Linked To Liver Failure
By 10.9.13
Hawaii health officials are asking stores to stop selling the fat-burning supplment OxyElite Pro after an investigation linked it to cases of liver failure and acute hepatitis in 29 people. Two of those people had to undergo liver transplants and one has died, says the Hawaii State Department of Health. [More]
CDC Calls Back Some Furloughed Staff To Tackle Multi-State Salmonella Outbreak
By 10.9.13
On the heels of a multi-state outbreak of salmonella that has sickened hundreds, some were wondering what would happen with most of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s food-borne illness staff on furlough during the government shutdown. The CDC is now reassuring the public that it has called back many of its workers to handle the outbreak. [More]
Are CDC’s Detectives At Work During Shutdown While Salmonella Outbreak Sickens Hundreds?
By 10.8.13 — Updated: 10.9.13
Often when we hear news of a food-borne disease, the worst has passed and the government works to educate consumers on which products have been recalled. However with 278 people in 18 states sickened by a salmonella outbreak linked to raw chicken products from California, no recall has been announced and the United States Department of Agriculture says “the outbreak is continuing.” But are any of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s elite food detectives at work during the government shutdown to trace track down the source of the contamination? [More]
Why Is The USDA Hiding Its Safety & Recall Information?
By 10.4.13
Here’s the thing: We know why the United States Department of Agriculture took its site down — like many other agencies during the government shutdown, it’s closed for business. But while other agencies have opted to simply stop updating their sites and keep information available, the USDA is making it awfully hard to find any of its information on safety and recalls. [More]
USDA Investigating Food Giant Sysco After Report Claimed It Kept Meat, Dairy In Dirty Sheds
By 10.1.13 — Updated: 10.31.13
Where do you keep your raw meats, dairy and produce at home? In an old, dirty, rusted and unrefrigerated container? No, you put them in a properly cooled refrigerator, which is more than what food giant Sysco was doing, claimed a San Francisco news station’s investigation back in July. Now the United States Department of Agriculture is looking into Sysco after it received a complaint from a local meat trade association. [More]
Do Food Regulators Care If Foreign Farmers Use Veterinary Drugs Banned In The U.S.?
By 8.21.13
Later this week, the United Nations food standards agency will be meeting in Minneapolis to discuss, among other things, standards for ten veterinary drugs that are banned for use in the U.S. but not globally. Fearing that continued use of these drugs by farmers in other countries could result in these banned chemicals still reaching the American market, a group of consumer advocates have called on federal regulators to not only take a tougher stance, but to stop encouraging the use of these drugs elsewhere. [More]
Big Meat Sues USDA Over Country-Of-Origin Labeling Requirement
By 7.10.13
In May, new USDA regulations went into effect that require meat processing plants to label not just the original country of origin for each item sold, but also which countries that product might have stopped at along its way from farm-to-store. The rules also prohibit the commingling of meats from various international sources. But now a group of meat industry associations have sued the USDA, claiming that this rule violates their Constitutional rights. [More]
USDA Approves Label That Will Identify Products From Animals Fed A Non-GMO Diet
By 6.21.13
There will be a bit more transparency in the grocery aisle soon, at least for some products. The United State’s Agriculture Department has given the go-ahead to a label that will tout meat and liquid egg products as being free of genetically modified ingredients. This doesn’t mean, however, that the USDA is requiring all meat and poultry processors to do so, but it’s the first time the department has approved a non-GMO label. [More]
Why Should I Care If The Beef I Buy Has Been Mechanically Tenderized?
By 6.6.13
Whether you actually read the labels on food or not, they exist to inform consumers of exactly what they’re about to eat. But that isn’t much help if you don’t understand why something is labeled a certain way in the first place. For example, the United States Department of Agriculture is planning on requiring beef that’s been mechanically tenderized to be labeled as such. Okay, great! But why should you care either way? [More]
U.S. To Ramp Up Species Testing Of Food Imports Because Eating Horse Is Gross
By 4.3.13
For anyone who’s been terrified, grossed out or otherwise disturbed by the horsemeat scare over yonder in Europe, take heart: After assuring U.S. consumers that we’re not facing the same tainted food scenario, federal regulators are pledging to ramp up “species testing” on imported meats just to be absolutely sure Mr. Ed doesn’t land on the dinner table. [More]
USDA Workers Will Eat What The Department Preaches With New Fryer-Less Cafeteria
By 2.4.13
Do you want fries with that? If you work for the United States Department of Agriculture, even if you do want a side of fries to go with your meal, you’re not gonna get it. The department’s cafeteria launched a new, healthier look today, which includes a menu devoid of deep-fried items. After deciding last year to go healthy, the USDA nixed deep fat fryers in both its cafeterias and will offer more healthful options for its employees. [More]
California Slaughterhouse Gets The Okay To Reopen After Cattle Controversy
By 8.27.12
The California slaughterhouse accused of abusing cows has apparently gotten the go-ahead to resume operations, after a temporary shutdown last week by the United States Department of Agriculture. When a controversial video reportedly showing ill treatment of cows hit the media, including footage of some cows that seemed unable to walk, big customers like the USDA itself, McDonald’s and In-N-Out Burger announced they weren’t using beef from that plant any longer. [More]
Beef Plant Accused Of Abusing Cows Supplied Meat For In-N-Out, U.S. School Lunch Program
By 8.22.12
A California meat plant that was temporarily shut down this week had some pretty big name clients, including In-N-Out (if you aren’t familiar, just ask any one who has ever been to California and will swear up and down that “oh, man, they have the best burgers in the whole entire universe”) and the U.S. school lunch program. From what an animal rights group is alleging, it sounds like cows were having an awful time at the plant. [More]
USDA Upsets Meat Lovers By Posting Internal Memo Pushing “Meatless Mondays” On Its Website
By 7.26.12
Encouraging your employees to go vegetarian one day a week might not seem like that big of a deal — unless you’re the United States Department of Agriculture, the agency tasked with promoting all agriculture products, including meat. The USDA said a post about “Meatless Monday” on its website was from an internal newsletter that went up without proper clearance. [More]
USDA Declares Natural Disaster Situations In 26 States Hit By Drought
By 7.12.12
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has declared a state of natural disaster in more than 1,000 counties spread across 26 states, as drought and fires have hit the country hard this season. That covers about a third of all the farmers in the country. [More]
What Is "Pink Slime" And Why Is It In 70% Of Supermarket Ground Beef?
By 3.8.12
Earlier this year, McDonald’s made headlines when it said it would stop using ammonia-treated beef trimmings lovingly known as “pink slime” in its burgers. Now the former USDA scientist who coined the phrase is speaking out against the widespread use of the stuff — not because it’s unsafe, but because he feels like consumers are being deceived into paying for cheap filler. [More]
