Food Integrity

USDA Whistleblower Rights for Corporate Producers

Government Accountability Project praised the Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural and Marketing Service for its rule that creates the nation’s first whistleblower protection for non-employees such as contract farmers and other producers of government-approved meat and poultry.

Sign-On Letter Opposing Packers & Stockyards Act Rider

As organizations that strive to ensure economic fairness and transparency in the marketplace, we urge you to oppose any policy riders in the FY 2024 Agriculture Appropriations bill that would prevent the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) from writing, finalizing, and implementing rules under the Packers and Stockyards Act (P&S Act).

NBC: Whistleblowers say U.S. government’s poor oversight may have led to migrant kids working unsafe and illegal jobs

A watchdog group representing federal whistleblowers raised new concerns to Congress on Wednesday about the performance of the Health and Human Services Department, the agency tasked with sheltering unaccompanied migrant children after they cross the border, saying poor oversight may have led to children working in unsafe and illegal conditions inside the United States.

2023-09-21T12:24:43-04:00September 21st, 2023|Food Integrity, ICE Detention, Immigration, In The News, Resources|

Government Accountability Project Releases Issue Brief on Whistleblowers at the Intersection of Oversight Failures in the Immigration & Food Production Systems

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  September 21, 2023  Government Accountability Project Releases Issue Brief on Whistleblowers at the Intersection of Oversight Failures in the Immigration & Food Production Systems   Numerous Reports of Immigrant Minors Working in Dangerous and Illegal Food Production Jobs Spur Need for Stronger Whistleblower Protections  WASHINGTON – Today, Government Accountability Project published an [...]

Vermont Business Magazine: Welch Introduces Bill to Hold Corporations Accountable for Child Labor Violations

Vermont Business Magazine: Welch Introduces Bill to Hold Corporations Accountable for Child Labor Violations This article features Government Accountability Project and was originally published here. Today, US Senators Peter Welch (D-Vermont) and Cory Booker (D-NJ), both members of the Senate Agriculture Committee, introduced the bicameral Child Labor Exploitation Accountability Act, legislation aimed at holding [...]

2023-04-27T09:46:39-04:00April 27th, 2023|Activism, Children's Rights, Food Integrity, In The News|

Press Release: Leading Whistleblower Protection Organization Applauds Court of Appeals Ruling Enjoining North Carolina Ag Gag Law

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  February 24, 2023   Leading Whistleblower Protection Organization Applauds Court of Appeals Ruling Enjoining North Carolina Ag Gag Law  RALEIGH, NC—US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit rules that undercover investigations and whistleblowing are considered newsgathering activities and as such are constitutionally protected by the First Amendment.   In the spirit of Upton [...]

Packers Sanitation: Letter from 19 Organizations Requesting Stepped Up Enforcement to Protect Vulnerable Workers

December 5, 2022 Dear Assistant Secretary Doug Parker and Deputy Assistant Secretary Jim Frederick, As 19 organizations working with meat and poultry workers, we are writing regarding Packers Sanitation Services Inc., PSSI, a company hired by hundreds of poultry and meat plants nationwide to work the dangerous graveyard shift to sanitize the plants.  The Department of Labor's Wage and Hour [...]

Press Release: Leading Whistleblower Protection Organization Applauds USDA Proposed Rule to combat Discrimination and Retaliation against Farmers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  September 29, 2022    Leading Whistleblower Protection Organization Applauds USDA Proposed Rule to combat Discrimination and Retaliation against Farmers  WASHINGTON—Government Accountability Project’s Food Integrity Campaign experts and farmer whistleblowers are available to speak about the Department of Agriculture’s proposed regulations under the Packers and Stockyards (P&S) Act’s provisions prohibiting undue prejudice, unjust discrimination, [...]

Agri-Pulse: Chicken Industry, reform advocates clash over proposed transparency rule

Chicken Industry, reform advocates clash over proposed transparency rule This article excerpt features Government Accountability Project and was originally published here. “The Government Accountability Project applauded the proposed rule’s 'movement toward realizing the intent of the PSA by addressing transparency concerns regarding the formation of contracts, the tournament system, and input variability.’”  [...]

2022-09-02T10:32:04-04:00September 2nd, 2022|Animal Welfare, Food Integrity, In The News|