Protecting Food. Empowering Whistleblowers.
Protecting Food. Empowering Whistleblowers.
On September 3, 1991, a horrible tragedy rattled North Carolina’s business community. Around 8:30 that morning the Imperial Food Products chicken packing plant in Hamlet, North Carolina, burst into flames. When the fire broke out, many of the key exit doors were locked. In an effort to keep workers from stealing chickens, fire exit doors […]
BLOG #4 – NC CASE STUDY BLOG: So far in this blog series we have explored measures through which the public may vet new pipelines, and discussed legal options for addressing pipeline concerns, including recent court decisions that have impacted major pipeline projects. We explored the topic of “waste-to-biogas” as an up-and-coming means of energy production that big ag and energy […]
BLOG #3 – INTRODUCING WASTE-TO-BIOGAS So far in this blog series we have explored the different measures that allow the public to vet new pipelines, as well as assessed the legal options for responding to pipeline projects and protecting those who blow the whistle on pipeline-related problems. As the landscape shifts around major oil and gas pipelines in the US, new conversations […]
Before the start of the 2020 hurricane season, researchers predicted that this year would be busier than normal. The increasing frequency and intensity of hurricanes due to climate change disproportionately impact vulnerable populations, especially lower-income communities and communities of color. Confounding the problem, these communities also face disproportionate exposure to industrial pollution, including the impacts […]
Racial Injustice: The Truth about Industrial Agriculture Racial injustice is at the forefront of our collective thoughts, yet the continued structural dependence of the food system on racial oppression is often overlooked. For those of us demanding food system reform and for those of us for whom racial injustice is a lived experience, it comes as no surprise that the meat industry has thrived even as communities of color […]
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 […]
COVID- 19 Outbreaks in NC: Symptoms of a Sick System By Sally Lee Tyson Foods recently disclosed that 570 employees have tested positive for COVID-19 at their Wilkesboro chicken processing plant. In this unprecedented time, we must take care to not be divided by the meat industry’s all-too familiar blame shifting tactics. The Trump administration’s official response to this crisis in meat plants has been to simultaneously declare […]
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 […]
Empty Shelves, Culled Animals: COVID-19 Intersects with Decades of Industrialized Agriculture For decades, whistleblowers have told us that it is dangerous when Big Ag puts profits over people. Companies such as Tyson, JBS, and Smithfield, which have historically bulldozed independent businesses to gain control of our meat supply, have built fragile global supply chains in […]
Dear supporter, We wanted to reach out to share an exciting opportunity for our FIC program. We have submitted a proposal to present at Netroots Nation this year, and we need your help! Vote today for the “Aligning Movements Toward a Just, Equitable, and Ethical Food System” panel moderated by FIC Director Amanda Hitt! Netroots […]