In an article that will soon be published in the Seattle Law Review, I take a look at food safety through the lens of the “pink slime” controversy and question whether the lack of real transparency that characterizes food safety regulation, especially with regard to meat and poultry, is
Continue Reading USDA, Salmonella, and the Cowardly Lion: A profile in the lack of courage
There’s a new ground beef in town. Its proud father is working to make sure folks know it for what it is. Ground beef. The father? Eldon Roth.
As far as I know, Roth didn’t enter the “Twilight Zone” to find his latest progeny. But, a line from Rod
Continue Reading Beach Beat: What’s in a name? Beef — drop the mic and label the hamburger
A federal judge has ordered AIG Specialty Insurance Co. into arbitration with The Walt Disney Co. in a dispute about a $25 million liability policy held by the ABC television network, which Disney owns.
Disney wants to tap ABC’s insurance to partially offset its payout to Dakota Dunes, SD-based Beef
Continue Reading Disney, AIG head into arbitration on ABC’s settlement with BPI
The confidential settlement reached on June 28 between Beef Products Inc., and Disney-owned ABC News is not entirely a secret anymore.
The Walt Disney Company’s quarterly financial filing with the Securities and Executive Commission (SEC) shows a charge of $177 million “net of committed insurance recoveries,” incurred in connection with
Continue Reading Looks like BPI got ABC’s insurance money plus $177 million
The jury trial involving the South Dakota Agricultural Food Products Disparagement Act continues today, beginning its fourth week of courtroom action in Elk Point, SD.
Dakota Dunes, SD-based Beef Products Inc. (BPI) is suing Disney-owned ABC Television and reporter Jim Avila under the Disparagement Act for calling its beef product
Continue Reading Disparagement trial begins week 4; ABC News stands ground
ELK POINT, SD — It would probably not be accurate to say Professor Mindy Brashears speaks with a Texas twang or that ABC’s attorney Dane Butswinkas
Continue Reading ABC strikes back by churning up BPI’s earlier history
ELK POINT, SD — Apple growers sued CBS News 28 years ago over just one segment on “60 Minutes” about the chemical Alar that aired on Feb. 26, 1989, and Texas cattlemen sued Oprah 21 years ago because she expressed her fears about Mad Cow Disease during just one of
Continue Reading Changes in media practices figure in beef defamation trial
ELK POINT, SD — A 12-member jury and four alternates, including 11 women and five men, are ready to hear opening arguments today in a $1.9 billion defamation trial scheduled to last eight weeks here at the Union County Court House.
Union County Courthouse in Elk
Continue Reading Jury trial begins today in BPI v. ABC on the saga of ‘pink slime’
Given the BPI v. ABC trial starts this week, I thought it would be good to repost an Op-Ed I penned in April 2012.
What if you were the CEO of a multimillion dollar, privately held food manufacturing company and awoke one morning to find that the name of
Continue Reading Publisher’s Platform: Blue Barf, Green Goop, Purple Puke, Red Rubbish or Yellow Yuck
The region where the borders of Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota and Nebraska meet is called “Siouxland.” It has been ever since 20th Century novelist Frederick Manfred, who wrote the acclaimed “Lord Grizzly” and 21 other works of fiction, came up with the area moniker.
Were he still alive, Manfred would
Continue Reading Jury selection begins May 31 in Siouxland for ‘trial of century’
