Source: Chris Scott, MEATINGPLACE, 2/12/18


A lawsuit accusing Sanderson Farms of misleading consumers by claiming that its chicken products are ”100% Natural” will move forward after a federal judge in California issued a ruling rejecting Sanderson’s argument that the suit should be dismissed.

U.S. District Judge Richard Seeborg said Sanderson’s request to dismiss the suit filed by Organic Consumers Association, Friends of the Earth and the Center for Food Safety in June of 2017 did not undermine regulatory oversight of the company’s operations as Sanderson had argued.

The suit was filed after the organizations alleged that USDA tests of Sanderson products in 2015 and 2016 found that they contained synthetic drug residue in nearly 50 samples. Sanderson disputed the test results at the time, releasing a statement that it did not administer antibiotics, chemicals, pesticides or 'other pharmaceuticals’ listed in the complaint.

Judge Seeborg denied Sanderson’s arguments to dismiss the lawsuit, adding that Sanderson’s “100% Natural” label claims approved by USDA could still be misleading in other contexts. The company had cited a lack of standing for the plaintiffs, a preemption of the plaintiffs’ claims and argued that the claims were “facially implausible.”

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