Dan Flynn

Veteran journalist with 15+ years covering food safety. Dan has reported for newspapers across the West and earned Associated Press recognition for deadline reporting. At FSN, he leads editorial direction and covers foodborne illness policy.

FSIS gains some in push back with OIG over process audit for new swine slaughter rule

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) report on USDA’s recent rulemaking for the Modernization of Swine Slaughter Inspection did not find much to concern USDA’s Food Safety and

By Dan Flynn

/ 30 Jun 2020

FSIS gains some in push back with OIG over process audit for new swine slaughter rule

Spike in outbreak of parasites found in bags of salad; multiple grocery chains involved

The protozoan parasite, Cyclospora cayetanensis, is riding on the certain contents of bagged salad mixes, invading consumers’ intestinal tracts and causing loose stools and dehydrating diarrhea. More people fell victim

By Dan Flynn

/ 26 Jun 2020

Spike in outbreak of parasites found in bags of salad; multiple grocery chains involved

Bottled water’s arsenic king remains legal but still loaded with heavy metal

Consumer Reports still has a knack for finding something hiding in plain sight that many people will find outrageous. The find this time is bottled Starkey Spring Water manufactured by

By Dan Flynn

/ 25 Jun 2020

Bottled water’s arsenic king remains legal but still loaded with heavy metal

DOJ’s Anti Trust cops have food industry price-fixing in their sights

The federal government is getting serious about food industry price-fixing. The recent sentencing of a tuna executive, the proper use of a leniency loophole, and cooperation in the poultry industry

By Dan Flynn

/ 24 Jun 2020

DOJ’s Anti Trust cops have food industry price-fixing in their sights

Garden salads sold in Midwest stores are spreading Cyclospora infections

Foodborne illness is finally back in the news in a big way. Six Midwestern states are reporting 76 Cyclospora infections with 16 hospitalizations and consumers are warned not to eat

By Dan Flynn

/ 22 Jun 2020

Garden salads sold in Midwest stores are spreading Cyclospora infections

Paul Kruse trial to begin with jury selection set for August

A federal district court judge in Texas has set the starting trial date for the United States v. Paul Kruse, the felony criminal case against the former CEO of Blue

By Dan Flynn

/ 19 Jun 2020

Paul Kruse trial to begin with jury selection set for August

Motion: Court lacks jurisdiction and it must dismiss charges against ex-Blue Bell chief

Felony charges against the former chief executive of Blue Bell Creameries must be dismissed because the federal court in Austin lacks “subject matter jurisdiction.” Defense attorneys Chris Flood and John

By Dan Flynn

/ 18 Jun 2020

Motion: Court lacks jurisdiction and it must dismiss charges against ex-Blue Bell chief

Federal dietary guidelines for 2020 near the finish line

Sarah Reinhardt, the lead food systems and health analyst for the Food & Environment program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, says she knows how the federal 2020 Dietary Guidelines

By Dan Flynn

/ 17 Jun 2020

Federal dietary guidelines for 2020 near the finish line

North Carolina’s Property Protection Act violates 1st Amendment

North Carolina’s 5-year-old Property Protection Act, the first state law to use civil action rather than criminal law, to discourage undercover animal welfare investigations, contains unconstitutional elements. Chief Judge

By Dan Flynn

/ 16 Jun 2020

North Carolina’s Property Protection Act violates 1st Amendment

Appellate review of Arkansas’s new “cause of action” is underway in St. Louis

Animal activists recently took their first shot at the innovative Arkansas law to secure animal agriculture and pretty wildly missed the target. Judge “Jay” Moody dismissed in its entirety the

By Dan Flynn

/ 10 Jun 2020

Appellate review of Arkansas’s new “cause of action” is underway in St. Louis

Herbicides purchased for this planting season and ready for the field are now illegal

Just as it was looking like American agriculture was going to survive the pandemic and planting was turning out successful, rural areas learned they were losing the weedkiller dicamba to

By Dan Flynn

/ 9 Jun 2020

Herbicides purchased for this planting season and ready for the field are now illegal

Bill Marler’s last word (or maybe not) on the Salmonella petition

Bill Marler is getting the last word on the petition he filed with USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) in January, which is on behalf of Rick Schiller,

By Dan Flynn

/ 8 Jun 2020

Bill Marler’s last word (or maybe not) on the Salmonella petition

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Dan Flynn

FSIS gains some in push back with OIG over process audit for new swine slaughter rule

Spike in outbreak of parasites found in bags of salad; multiple grocery chains involved

Bottled water’s arsenic king remains legal but still loaded with heavy metal

DOJ’s Anti Trust cops have food industry price-fixing in their sights

Garden salads sold in Midwest stores are spreading Cyclospora infections

Paul Kruse trial to begin with jury selection set for August

Motion: Court lacks jurisdiction and it must dismiss charges against ex-Blue Bell chief

Federal dietary guidelines for 2020 near the finish line

North Carolina’s Property Protection Act violates 1st Amendment

Appellate review of Arkansas’s new “cause of action” is underway in St. Louis

Herbicides purchased for this planting season and ready for the field are now illegal

Bill Marler’s last word (or maybe not) on the Salmonella petition