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Tyson Foods is marketing “climate-smart beef” and a commitment to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions. (Charlie Neibergall / AP)
Article September 18, 2024

Earthjustice Takes on Big Ag’s Greenwashing

We’re suing one of the largest meat companies in the world for trying to deceive consumers about its climate impact.

document September 18, 2024

Greenwashing Lawsuit v. Tyson Foods, Inc.

The Environmental Working Group filed the suit under the District of Columbia Consumer Protection Procedures Act, or CPPA, in D.C. Superior Court. The suit targets 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. EWG is represented by Animal Legal Defense Fund, Earthjustice, Edelson PC, and FarmSTAND,

A satellite view of part of the Adams Land and Cattle feedlot in Nebraska, which is named by Tyson Foods as one of their “Climate-Smart Beef Program supply partners”. (Google Maps / 2024 Airbus, Maxar Technologies)
Press Release September 18, 2024

Tyson Foods Sued Over Deceptive ‘Net-zero’ and ‘Climate-smart’ Beef Claims

Environmental group accuses Tyson of capitalizing on consumers’ interest in purchasing climate-friendly foods by falsely claiming it will be net-zero by 2050 and marketing its industrial beef products as “climate-smart”

Inside a pig industrial animal factory in Worthington, MO. (Kathryn Gamble for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
From the Experts August 21, 2024

No Clean Electricity Tax Credits for Dirty Manure Biogas

Earthjustice and partners urge the Treasury Department to prohibit electricity producers that use biogas from animal manure from receiving Clean Electricity Tax Credits.

In the News: The Guardian April 5, 2024

New York is suing the world’s biggest meat company. It might be a tipping point for greenwashing

Peter Lehner, Managing Attorney, Sustainable Food & Farming Program: “Consumers are beginning to be aware of the fact that meat, and particularly beef, has a very, very high climate impact. JBS is fully aware of this, and trying to get ahead of that by telling consumers, ‘Oh, don’t worry, we’ve got it under control.’ But…

Cape Fear Riverkeeper Kemp Burdette collects water samples in the Cape Fear River near the Smithfield slaughter house in Tar Heel, N.C. (Justin Cook for Earthjustice)
Press Release March 26, 2024

Community, Environmental, and Animal Welfare Organizations Press EPA to Strengthen Water Pollution Control Standards for Slaughterhouses and Animal Rendering Facilities

Stronger standards would prevent hundreds of millions of pounds of pollution from reaching rivers and streams, helping to protect more than 22 million people

document March 26, 2024

EPA Comments: Slaughterhouse Clean Water Act Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards for MPP Point Source Category

Inadequately controlled water pollution from slaughterhouses and rendering facilities can make water unsafe for drinking, unfit for outdoor recreation, and uninhabitable for aquatic life, posing serious risks to human health and the environment, especially in vulnerable and under-resourced communities. After more than two decades, EPA finally has begun the process of strengthening water pollution control standards for these facilities, and the Agency now proposes to adopt the weakest of three regulatory options. EPA’s preferred option is inconsistent with the CWA and other federal laws.

In the News: Vox March 8, 2024

Why New York is suing the world’s biggest meat company

Peter Lehner, Managing Attorney, Sustainable Food & Farming Program: “A big potential indirect impact is a bit of education of policymakers. Congress gives special exemptions to animal ag in part because they don’t know, or don’t want to believe, the real climate and pollution impact. So I hope this will get a few more policymakers…

document February 29, 2024

New Water Pollution Control Standards for Slaughterhouses and Rendering Facilities

On average, over 17,000 animals are killed each minute in slaughterhouses across the United States. Slaughterhouse byproducts such as fat, bone, and feathers are often sent to rendering facilities for conversion into tallow, animal meal, and other products. Both slaughterhouses and rendering facilities require a near-constant flow of water, and they discharge hundreds of millions of pounds of water pollution each year.

An industrial hog facility in North Carolina. Hog feces and urine are flushed into open, unlined pits and then sprayed onto nearby fields. The practice leads to waste contaminating nearby waters, and drifting as "mist" onto neighboring properties. (Friends of Family Farmers)
Press Release February 15, 2024

Coalition of Groups Submits Comments Urging EPA to Require Industrial Animal Feeding Operations to Report their Dangerous Air Pollution

Requiring animal feeding operations to report their toxic emissions of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide will help community members better protect their health

document February 15, 2024

Comments: EPA EPCRA AFOs Air Emissions

AFOs emit the extremely hazardous gasses ammonia and hydrogen sulfide, and these emissions pose serious threats to people living nearby, including people living in communities of color and low-income communities. EPCRA requires facilities to report emissions of extremely hazardous substances.

document January 22, 2024

Law360 Opinion: Farm Bill Gives Congress 2024’s Biggest Enviro Opportunity

The Farm Bill is the most important environmental bill Congress will address this year. Usually largely ignored by all but large-scale farmers and ranchers, agrochemical companies and food manufacturers — and their lawyers — it actually profoundly affects us all.

Press Release: Victory December 15, 2023

EPA Proposes Improved Water Pollution Control Standards for Slaughterhouses and Rendering Facilities

In response to lawsuits, EPA begins process of mandating pollution reductions

An industrial hog facility in North Carolina. Hog feces and urine are flushed into open, unlined pits and then sprayed onto nearby fields. The practice leads to waste contaminating nearby waters, and drifting as "mist" onto neighboring properties.
(Photo courtesy of Friends of Family Farmers)
Press Release August 16, 2023

In Response to Petition, EPA Announces New Federal Advisory Committee on Industrial Animal Factory Pollution

EPA’s announcement responds in part to a rulemaking petition submitted in October 2022 by a nationwide coalition of over 50 citizens’ groups and community advocacy, environmental justice, and environmental advocacy organizations, in partnership with Earthjustice

document August 15, 2023

EPA Response to Petition for CAFOs to Discharge Pollutants Under Clean Water Act

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) response to petition requesting Agency adopt a rebuttable presumption that Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) using wet manure management systems actually discharge pollutants under the Clean Water Act (CWA), and must apply for CWA permits. EPA denies this petition, and instead commits to pursuing strategy to evaluate means of improving the CAFO program.

From the Experts June 27, 2023

Agriculture, Climate, and 2023 Farm Bill (A 3-Part Blog Series)

About the 3-blog series on helping American agriculture become more resilient and climate-friendly:

From the Experts June 9, 2023

Agriculture, Climate, and 2023 Farm Bill (A 3-Part Blog Series)

About the 3-blog series on helping American agriculture become more resilient and climate-friendly:

Today, most cropland is a vast monoculture of industrial-scale, chemical-intensive commodity crops. (Scott Goodwill / Unsplash)
From the Experts May 31, 2023

Agriculture, Climate, and 2023 Farm Bill (A 3-Part Blog Series)

About the 3-blog series on helping American agriculture become more resilient and climate-friendly: