Meatpacker Tyson Foods is to stop making environmental claims regarding ‘net-zero’ and ‘climate-smart beef’ for a five-year period, following a lawsuit taken by the Environmental Working Group (EWG).
EWG said that it had reached a settlement in its lawsuit alleging that several of Tyson Foods‘ environmental claims were not backed by sufficient actions to make them credible.
As well as refraining from making said claims for five years, Tyson Foods cannot introduce new claims unless they are ‘supported by expert analysis and verified facts’, EWG said in a statement.
It follows on from a separate settlement between the New York attorney general’s office and JBS USA, reached on 10 November, which also resulted in the company withdrawing unsubstantiated climate-related claims.
Between them, JBS and Tyson produce about 50% of the beef consumed in the United States, with the EWF saying that the settlements represent a ‘positive step in efforts to protect consumers from false and misleading statements’ from major beef corporations.
‘Honesty and accountability’
“This settlement reinforces the principle that consumers deserve honesty and accountability from the corporations shaping our food system,” commented Caroline Leary, general counsel and chief operating officer at EWG. “The outcome makes clear that corporate climate pledges must be transparent, verifiable and rooted in real change.”
The Tyson lawsuit was originally filed in September 2024, under the District of Columbia Consumer Protection Procedures Act. EWG was represented by the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF), Earthjustice, Edelson PC and FarmSTAND in the suit.
‘A significant milestone’
“This settlement is a significant milestone for advocates and consumers who demand honesty in climate-related marketing,” commented Amanda Howell, managing attorney at ALDF. “ALDF will continue working to ensure that consumers who care about the climate crisis, sustainability, and the harmful environmental impacts of animal agriculture have access to truthful and non-misleading information.”
Elsewhere, Kelsey Eberly, senior staff attorney at FarmSTAND, added that the resolution marks a “crucial turning point in the fight against climate greenwashing“. Read more here.
