Protecting Food. Empowering Whistleblowers.

Ag Gag: Safeguarding Industry Secrets by Punishing the Messenger

Consumers are asking questions about the food they eat: where it comes from and how it was processed. Yet when it comes to the treatment of animals, Big Ag has been notoriously secretive. Over the last decade, the use of undercover video as a means to show wrongdoing on factory farms and in meat processing has brought to light some disturbing truths. Whistleblower exposés have revealed neglect, inhumane practices and gross abuses. In response, consumers have expressed their disapproval. But instead of adopting more humane practices, animal agriculture is lobbying to enact state laws that criminalize the recording of cruelty to animals.

Essentially, Ag Gag makes it a crime to report a crime. Concerned advocates are speaking out against these offensive laws on behalf of truth-tellers and whistleblowers.

 

Full Story

Who spoke up? — Key Whistleblowers

Dean Wyatt

Dr. Dean Wyatt was a Public Health Veterinarian (PHV) for the USDA Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS). Dr. Wyatt discovered gruesome and distasteful violations of the humane handling regulations – not at just one plant, but two. Each time, Dr. Wyatt voiced concerns to his supervisors.

Dean’s Story »

Jim Schrier

Jim Schrier is a veteran federal food safety inspector who faced retaliation from the USDA after blowing the whistle on violations of humane handling regulations at a USDA-regulated Tyson Foods slaughter plant in Iowa. FIC represented Schrier in connection with his whistleblower retaliation case. Serving as a USDA meat inspector for 29 years, Schrier was […]

Jim’s Story »

Court Documents

You can download the court documents by clicking on the following PDF links.

Amicus Brief – Idaho Ag Gag (2014)

Campaign Multimedia

“Undercover investigation is important for exposing all kinds of illegal and immoral activities, and whistleblowers need video to validate and substantiate what they’re saying. I think we can do better than this dangerous law, for animals, farmers and consumers’ sake.”

—–DR. DARYL JACOBS, Former USDA Veterinarian on Idaho's Ag Gag law