Press Release

February 23, 2023 In Press Release

Fourth Circuit Enjoins North Carolina Ag-Gag Law, Affirming Constitutionality of Undercover Investigations and Whistleblowing

Today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit handed an important win to plaintiffs in a lawsuit challenging North Carolina’s Ag-Gag law, ruling that undercover investigations and whistleblowing are considered newsgathering activities protected by the First Amendment....

January 31, 2023 In Press Release

Third Circuit Court Affirms Legal Tool for Worker Safety

Today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit issued an opinion in Doe v. Scalia on the question of workers’ ability to sue the Occupational Safety and Health Administration when the agency failed to protect them from COVID-19. The plaintiff Justice at Work...

November 16, 2022 In Press Release

The next Farm Bill can only be “climate-smart” if it reduces agricultural reliance on pesticides, says diverse coalition

Today, 50 organizations sent a public letter to the House Agriculture Committee and the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, calling for a transformative 2023 Farm Bill. They urged the legislators to incentivize reductions in pesticide use, include provisions to protect farmworker health, and...

November 15, 2022 In Press Release

Hormel Foods Advertises Conventional Meat as “Natural,” Newly Released Documents Show

Today, the Public Justice Food Project published documents uncovered in the discovery of a false advertising lawsuit against Hormel Foods. The newly published documents and accompanying analysis reveal that the corporation exploited consumers’ desires for “green” meat by falsely promoting its “Natural Choice” product line...

November 7, 2022 In Press Release

Colorado Worker Group Intervenes to Oppose Constitutional Challenge to State’s Workers’ Rights Statute

For Immediate Release: November 7, 2022 Media Contact: Lucy Sears | (240) 676-4499 | lsears@publicjustice.net Colorado Worker Group Intervenes to Oppose Constitutional Challenge to State’s Workers’ Rights Statute On Monday, November 7, Colorado Legal Services and an anonymous farmworker filed a motion to intervene in order to defend...

October 11, 2022 In Press Release

After Long Delay, Groups Sue EPA for Response on Factory Farm Water Pollution Rules

The Environmental Protection Agency’s failure to respond to a legal petition urging the agency to strengthen clean water rules governing factory farms has prompted a broad coalition of public interest and environmental justice organizations to file a lawsuit in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals...

September 27, 2022 In Press Release

Court Strikes Down Iowa Recording Ban Ag-Gag Law

The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa ruled Iowa’s latest Ag-Gag law is unconstitutional, holding that the law — which created a new crime of trespassing to engage in video and audio recording — violates the First Amendment. The law gagged free...

July 26, 2022 In Press Release

Lawsuit Against Smithfield for Lying to Public Will Move Forward

For Immediate Release: July 26, 2022 Media Contacts: Peter Hart, phart@fwwatch.org Lucy Sears, lsears@publicjustice.net Lawsuit Against Smithfield for Lying to Public Will Move Forward Judge denies pork giant’s motion to dismiss case Smithfield Foods lost its bid to dismiss a case alleging that the meatpacking giant repeatedly lied to consumers throughout...

June 10, 2022 In News, Press Release

Food Advocacy Groups Defend Lawsuit to Hold Smithfield Accountable for Lying to the Public at the Expense of Workers’ Lives

Today, Public Justice and Food & Water Watch submitted their opposition brief in response to Smithfield Foods’ motion to dismiss Food & Water Watch’s case. The case alleges that Smithfield Foods has repeatedly lied to consumers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to protect its bottom line...

May 3, 2022 In Press Release

Texas court grants farmers of color groups to represent their own interests in debt relief case

Today, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas granted a motion to intervene in a case concerning debt relief for farmers of color. Public Justice filed the motion to intervene in Miller v. Vilsack on behalf of the National Black Farmers...