Tyson Foods, one of the largest meatpackers in the world, cannot credibly say it produces “climate-smart” beef and should be stopped from making such marketing claims, said a lawsuit filed Wednesday under the District of Columbia’s consumer protection law. Tyson spent less than $50 million on practices to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in 2022, said the lawsuit.
“Consumers are increasingly making purchasing decisions with their climate footprint in mind,” said the Environmental Working Group, the plaintiff, and its four legal representatives. “Tyson is exploiting this trend by making outrageous and unsubstantiated claims about its sustainability efforts that don’t hold up under scrutiny.”
On its website, Tyson said beef production accounts for the majority of emissions in its value chain and said it would work with farmers, ranchers, and scientists to adopt practices that reduce the carbon intensity of the crops fed to livestock.