Perdue Farms has filed a lawsuit in opposition to former contract grower Craig Watts and the US Division of Labor (DOL).
The swimsuit, filed in federal court docket for the Jap District of North Carolina, is the newest motion in a decade of discontent between Perdue and Watts. Watts in 2015 filed a swimsuit in opposition to Perdue, alleging that the firm’s determination to audit Watts’ farm and place him beneath a Efficiency Enchancment Plan (PIP) have been taken in reprisal for protected exercise beneath the Meals Security Modernization Act (FSMA). The criticism argues that Perdue’s labeling of the chickens as “humanely raised” was deceptive, and that Perdue’s breeding and practices elevated the chance that birds would grow to be contaminated with Salmonella and/or develop infections, in flip threatening customers’ well being.
On the time, Perdue described Watts’ swimsuit as a “publicity ploy.” Simply months earlier than Watts filed his swimsuit, he labored with Compassion in World Farming (CIWF), and launched a video that gave the general public a view of what Watts seen because the “inhumane” circumstances of Perdue’s contract farms. Within the video, Watts mentioned he felt powerless to alter the circumstances for his chickens as a result of he was certain by his contract with Perdue.
Within the swimsuit filed on behalf of Perdue, challenges the constitutionality of Watts’ case. Through the years, the case was dismissed by an administrative regulation choose however introduced again to life by courtroom fights, reported the Charlotte Observer. The corporate seeks reduction to forestall the DOL from persevering with what it considers unconstitutional administrative proceedings in opposition to it.
“Perdue isn’t asking this court docket to litigate the deserves of Watts’ accusations,” the lawsuit reads. “As an alternative, Perdue brings 5 constitutional challenges to the executive proceedings.”
