Photo via Flickr user AgriculturaspOn the first day of 2012, a law that was finalized in 1999 in the European Union finally went into effect, banning the use of battery cages for egg-laying hens. While some farmers have moved to cage-free systems in response to the new rule, most have switched to "enriched" cages that allow hens more room with nests and perches.

Both options are an improvement from the industry-norm battery cages – cramped cages that don’t let the hens do a lot of their natural activities (like turning around easily). Despite having 12 years to get used to the idea, some countries have slacked on enforcing the change. The European Commission, according to Food Safety News, "has announced plans to take legal action against the 13 countries not enforcing the rule." Germany, on the other hand, banned the practice back in 2007.

Photo (CC) by Lars PlougmannBiotechnology and crop chemical giant Monsanto, also known as a consistent violator of food integrity in FIC terms, has been linked to yet another breach of global community values. The Associated Press reported Monday that Argentina's tax agency raided a Monsanto contractor and discovered "slave-like conditions" among its corn farmworkers. AP writes:

The AFIP tax agency says Rural Power SA hired all its farmhands illegally, prevented them from leaving the fields and withheld their salaries. They had to de-tassel corn 14 hours a day and buy their food at inflated prices from the company store.

AFIP says it will hold the American agro-giant responsible for its contractor's slave-like labor conditions.

U.S. Rep. Gary AckermanEarlier this week, U.S. Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-Ny) announced he has reintroduced bipartisan legislation that would permanently prohibit all downed livestock (too sick or weak to stand) from being slaughtered and entering the nation's food supply. The bill would also require these animals to be humanely euthanized.

The proposed legislation was referred to the House Committee on Agriculture in mid-December, about one month after Supreme Court justices appeared to side with the meat industry in a case that looked to overrule a California law aiming to enforce the same slaughter rules as Ackerman's bill. In that case, the National Meat Association believes the state law overstepped federal regulation, which, as FIC explained, remains lacking.

Illegal chemicals keep finding their way into fruit juices sold in the United States. This time it's fungicide in orange juice, stemming from the groves of Brazil. Reuters reports:

According to the Food and Drug Administration, a U.S. juice producer had detected low levels of carbendazim in orange juice concentrate imported from Brazil, the top grower accounting for more than 10 percent of the U.S. supply.

The pesticide is banned in U.S. citrus but it is used on orange trees in Brazil to fight mold. The FDA said low levels of carbendazim were not dangerous and the agency had no plans for a recall, but it would stop any shipments of orange juice at the border that tested positive for the fungicide.

Decision by McDonald's, Burger King & Taco Bell May Prompt Others to Follow Suit
Whistleblower Questioned Practices by Beef Products, Inc. Years Ago

In the waning days of 2011, fast-food giants McDonald's, Burger King, and Taco Bell announced they will no longer use a controversial beef product produced by food behemoth Beef Products Inc. (BPI). At one time, the ammoniated beef product – beef trimmings known in the industry as 'pink slime' – could be found in approximately 80 percent of the hamburgers consumed in the United States, including those served at fast-food restaurants and through the national school lunch program. While some media outlets raised public awareness regarding potential dangers associated with the product, the Government Accountability Project (GAP) also recognizes the role of the BPI whistleblower who reported the company's practices.

Happy New Year, fellow food integrity advocates! For FIC's first newsletter of 2012 (you can sign up for our monthly updates here), we shared some highlights from our campaign (and in whistleblower protections) over the last year. We've posted them below for our blog readers as well.

Although we have a long way to go in the fight for food integrity, it's good to see progress toward a more just food system. Thanks for being there with us along the way!

Core structure of the cephalosporin antibioticsThe FDA made a notable announcement yesterday related to combating the ongoing threat of human antibiotic resistance – increasingly linked to antibiotic overuse in food-producing animals.

The agency issued a new order limiting the use of cephalosporins, a class of antimicrobial drugs, given to cattle, swine and poultry. In order to reduce the presence of pathogens resistant to cephalosporin and maintain its effective use for treating pneumonia and other infections in humans, the FDA order prohibits unapproved uses of the drug -- including for disease prevention, rather than treatment once an animal is sick.

As pointed out by Food Safety News, cephalosporin-resistant bacteria could make it difficult to treat people sickened by contaminated food: