Protecting Food. Empowering Whistleblowers.

Food Integrity Campaign Blog

Chickens

The True Cost of Chicken: A Tale of Two Systems

Food Integrity Campaign | August 8, 2023

The following blog is written by Natalie Laurie, who is joining FIC this summer. Natalie is a recent graduate from both the Vermont Law School with a JD specializing in food and agriculture; and the CY Paris Cergy University in France, with an LLM and Master’s in Business, Tax, and Compliance Law.   Upon graduation, Natalie […]

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Unchecked Corporate Power and Exploitation: The Truth about Contract Growing

Food Integrity Campaign | December 14, 2021

Most of the chicken and pork consumed in the U.S. comes from contract growing. Whether you are a farmer, advocate, or eater, you’ll want to know the truth about contract growing. What is Contract Growing? Production contracts are increasingly common in the agricultural business. Rather than market and sell their own products, farmers often sign contracts that commit […]

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PSA RULE MAKING LETTER TO USDA SECRETARY, TOM VILSACK

Food Integrity Campaign | September 22, 2021

55 national, state and regional organizations advocating for fair and competitive markets for food and agriculture signed and delivered the following letter to Secretary of Agriculture. The signing organizations, representing a diverse array of interests including labor, environment, public health, community agriculture, animal welfare and farmers, joined this letter to thank the Department of Agriculture […]

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PRESS RELEASE: Farmer Whistleblower Takes to the Skies to Deliver Message for #FairShake for Farmers Week of Action

Food Integrity Campaign | September 20, 2021

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 20, 2021 Farmer Whistleblower Takes to the Skies to Deliver Message about Big Ag Consolidation as Part of National #Fair Shake for Farmers Week of Action New Video Showcases Poultry Farmer Whistleblower’s Message to the World WASHINGTON – After 27 years of raising chickens for Perdue, Inc., Rudy Howell, a Government […]

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Rudy Howell

Rudy Howell Complaint of Retaliation

Food Integrity Campaign | February 12, 2021

Today, Government Accountability Project/Food Integrity Campaign filed a Whistleblower Complaint on behalf of poultry grower, Rudy Howell. The Complaint alleges that Rudy is a whistleblower and was wrongfully terminated for making protected disclosures. “Rudy Howell owns and operates the Robert Miller poultry farm in Fairmont, North Carolina. For over 25 years, Howell was contracted exclusively […]

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FIC works to have USDA compensate farmers – not the corporations- directly for Covid 19 losses.  

FIC Staff | June 17, 2020

FIC works to have USDA compensate farmers – not the corporations- directly for Covid 19 losses.   FIC and its farmer advocacy partners are suggesting legislative language that would ensure farmers do not face bankruptcy during Covid-19. The pandemic has shown in sharp relief the many ways our industrial meat system has been designed to drive profit at the expense of animals, workers, and […]

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Does the need for truth ever stop? Check out the new Instagram story series from Food Integrity Campaign.

Food Integrity Campaign | May 27, 2020

We are excited to announce our new Instagram story series. Throughout these unprecedented times, we will be sharing updates from FIC whistleblowers and how the pandemic has impacted their lives and food integrity advocacy. The work of a whistleblower never stops, even in a pandemic. As you know, Covid-19 has exposed serious flaws in our […]

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Concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO), Unionville, Missouri, United States, owned by Smithfield Foods. Photo credit: Socially Responsible Agricultural Project

Senate Bill to Overhaul Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations

FIC Staff | December 16, 2019

On December 12, 2019, Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced the “Farm System Reform Act,” a sweeping piece of legislation designed to address the worst ills of factory farms, also known as concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). The Food Integrity Campaign (FIC) is pleased to endorse this bill. Meat and poultry companies profit from CAFO operations […]

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Whistleblower Sues Second Largest U.S. Poultry Company

Food Integrity Campaign | October 29, 2018

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WASHINGTON –On October 25, Government Accountability Project filed an historic complaint against Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation (“Pilgrim’s) on behalf of whistleblower Eric Hedrick and his business, Triple R Ranch, LLC. The complaint was filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia. Lawsuits against the poultry industry are […]

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GAP Whistleblower Delivers 60,000+ Petition Signatures to Capitol Hill in Support of Contract Poultry Farmers

Food Integrity Campaign | June 16, 2016

(Washington, DC) – Government Accountability Project (GAP) client and contract chicken farmer Eric Hedrick delivered more than 60,000 petition signatures to Capitol Hill yesterday as part of an effort to shed light on the poultry industry’s abusive practices. The largest single-owner producer in West Virginia, Eric has been a contract grower for Pilgrim’s Pride (the […]

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