Case Law Index
Food Safety
January 1, 2002 - November 1, 2008
This index provides a comprehensive though not necessarily exhaustive compilation of reported and unreported federal and state court decisions involving Food Safety that were decided on or after January 1, 2002. For those cases that have been summarized by the National Agricultural Law Center, a link is provided to the summary. The index will be regularly updated to reflect new judicial developments. The cases are listed in reverse chronological order.
FIRST CIRCUIT
Nat'l Starch & Chem. Trading Co. v. M/V Star Inventana, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 88722 (D. Me. 2006) (escherichia coli case)
Roney v. Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers of New York, Inc., 2006 WL 696251 (D. Me. 2006) (tort claim regarding undercooked hamburger at a fast food restaurant)
United States v. Greenburg, 410 F.3d 63 (1st Cir. 2005) (illegal meat-packaging scheme)
SECOND CIRCUIT
N.Y. State Rest. Ass'n v. N.Y.C. Bd. of Health, 545 F.Supp.2d 363 (S.D. N.Y. 2008) (denying stay of enforcement of caloric posting rule pending appeal)
N.Y. State Rest. Ass'n v. N.Y.C. Bd. of Health, No. 08 Civ. 1000(RJH), 2008 WL 1752455 (S.D. N.Y. Apr. 16, 2008) (denying injunction to stop required posting of caloric content at restaurants)
N.Y. State Rest. Ass'n v. N.Y.C. Bd. of Health, 509 F.Supp.2d 351 (S.D. N.Y. 2007) (city's requirement for posting of calorie content on menus was preempted)
Bennett v. Hannelore Enters., 296 F. Supp. 2d 406 (D. N.Y. 2003) (listeria bacteria)
Baur v. Veneman, 352 F.3d 625 (2d Cir. 2003) (use of downed livestock for human consumption)
Legal Sea Foods, Inc. v. Calise. 2003 WL 21991588 (S.D. N.Y. 2003) (HAACP programs as proprietary information)
Kraft Foods North America, Inc. v. Rockland County Dept. of Weights and Measures. 2003 WL 554796 (S.D.N.Y., 2003) (net weight inspection practices)
THIRD CIRCUIT
Fellner v. Tri-Union Seafoods, LLC, 539 F.3d 237 (3rd 2008) (failure to warn)
Moyer Packing Co. v. U.S., No. 07-00974, 2008 WL 2697330 (E.D. Pa. July 8, 2008) (negligent inspection of meat packer by USDA)
Solae, Inc. v. Hershey Can., Inc., 557 F.Supp.2d 452 (D. Del. 2008) (liability for damages caused by product recall)
Langan v. BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc., 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 64673 (D.N.J. 2006) (escherichia coli case)
Winnicki v. Bennigan's, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5568 (D.N.J. 2006) (escherichia coli case)
Drayton v. Pilgrim's Pride Corp., 2004 WL 765123, (E.D. Pa. 2004) (listeria moncytogenes contamination)
Tittensor v. County of Montgomery, 2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 18159 (D. Pa. 2003) (escherichia coli case)
FOURTH CIRCUIT
Rhone-Poulenc Agro S.A. v. Monsanto Co., 445 F. Supp. 2d 531, 535 (D.N.C. 2006) (seed patent case regarding escherichia coli contamination)
Invitrogen Corp. v. Biocrest Mfg., L.P., 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 28975 (D. Tex. 2004) (patent infringement case regarding escherichia coli cell replication)
S. Wallace Edwards & Sons, Inc. v. Cincinnati Ins. Co., 353 F.3d 367 (4th Cir. 2003) (damaged meat from an ammonia leak at a storage facility)
Dawkins v. United States, 226 F. Supp. 2d 750 (D. N.C. 2002) (FSIS responsibilities)
Southern States Coop. Inc. v. I.S.P. Co., 198 F. Supp. 2d 807 (D. W.Va. 2002) (animal feed)
FIFTH CIRCUIT
Empacadora de Carnes de Fresnillo, S.A. de C.V. v. Curry, 476 F.3d 326 (state ban on horse slaughter for human consumption upheld)
In re Supreme Beef Processors, Inc., 468 F.3d 248 (5th Cir. 2006) (sovereign immunity claims)
Zayler v. United States, 279 F. Supp. 2d 805 (D. Tex. 2003) (FSIS declaration of unsafe beef)
Supreme Beef Processors, Inc. v. USDA, 275 F.3d 432 (5th Cir. 2001) (meat inspection)
SIXTH CIRCUIT
N. Am. Deer Farmers Ass'n v. Gassett, No. 3:08-04-DCR, 2008 WL 4148907 (E.D. Ky. Sept. 2, 2008) (statute to prevent chronic wasting disease)
Crestview Parke Care Ctr. v. Thompson, 373 F.3d 743 (6th Cir. 2004) (nursing home claim regarding sanitary food service)
Dailey v. Veneman, 2002 WL 31780191 (C.A.6 (Ohio), 2002) (constitutional challenge to Federal Meat Inspection Act and Poultry Products Inspection Act)
SEVENTH CIRCUIT
Elanco Animal Health v. Archers Daniel Midland, Co., No. 1:08-cv-386-RLY-TAB, 2008 WL 4099881 (S.D. Ind. Sept. 4, 2008) (liability for failure to properly clean truck)
Campbell v. Supervalu, Inc., 565 F.Supp.2d 969 (N.D. Ind. 2008) (statute of limitations barred claims against seller of tainted meat)
Cavel Int'l, Inc. v. Madigan, 500 F.3d 551 (7th Cir. 2007) (state ban on horse slaughter for human consumption upheld)
Campbell v. Supervalu, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 25023 (D. Ind. 2007) (escherichia coli case)
United States v. LaGrou Distrib. Sys., 466 F.3d 585 (7th Cir. 2006) (knowing improper storage of poultry, meat, and food products)
McRoy v. Sheahan, 2006 WL 2714836 (N.D. Ill. 2006) (food handling procedures at correctional facility)
Pena v. Am. Meat Packing Corp., 258 F. Supp. 2d 864 (D. Ill. 2003) (USDA violations and employment claim)
EIGHTH CIRCUIT
Ranchers Cattlemen Action Legal Fund v. U.S. Dep't of Agric., 566 F.Supp.2d 995 (D. S.D. 2008) (granting injunction to stop USDA from removing import restrictions on Canadian beef)
Neb. Beef, Ltd. v. U.S. Dep't of Agric., No. 803CV174, 2007 WL 2344819 (D. Neb. Aug. 15, 2007) (claim of biased and arbitrary meat inspection)
Barnes v. United States, 448 F.3d 1065 (8th Cir. 2006) (FSIS's tort immunity)
Neb. Beef, Ltd. v. Greening, 398 F.3d 1080 (8th Cir. 2005) (Bivens remedy availability)
NINTH CIRCUIT
Levine v. Conner, 540 F.Supp.2d 1113 (N.D. Cal. 2008) (exclusion of poultry and turkeys from Humane Slaughter Act)
Ortiz v. Menu Foods, Inc., 525 F.Supp.2d 1220 (D. Haw. 2008) (contaminated pet food class action suit)
Ranchers Cattlemen Action Legal Fund v. U.S. Dep't of Agric., 499 F.3d 1108 (9th Cir. 2007) (upholding final BSE rule)
Saul v. Dominiack, 2007 WL 2682526 (N.D. Iowa 2007) (escherichia coli food poisoning)
Levine v. Johanns, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 63667 (D. Cal. 2006) (humane slaughter)
Ctr. for Food Safety v. Johanns, 451 F. Supp. 2d 1165 (D. Haw. 2006) (genetically modified corn and sugar cane)
Geertson Farms, Inc. v. Johanns, 439 F. Supp. 2d 1012 (D. Cal. 2006) (challenge to genetically-engineered alfalfa deregulation)
Thacker v. Kroger Co., 155 Fed. Appx. 946 (8th Cir. 2005) (escherichia coli case)
Ranchers Cattlemen Action Legal Fund United Stockgrowers of Am. v. USDA, 2005 U.S. App. LEXIS 17360 (9th Cir. 2005) (BSE final rule case, amended)
Ranchers Cattlemen Action Legal Fund United Stockgrowers of Am. v. USDA, 415 F.3d 1078 (9th Cir. 2005) (BSE final rule)
Ranchers Cattlemen Action Legal Fund v. U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, 2004 WL 1151970 (D. Mont. 2004) (challenge to mad cow regulation)
In re Wash. State Apple Adver. Comm'n, 257 F. Supp. 2d 1290 (D. Wash. 2003) (constitutionality of assessments collection)
Vons Cos. v. Aetna Cas. & Sur. Co., 58 Fed. Appx. 689 (9th Cir. 2003) (escherichia coli outbreak)
TENTH CIRCUIT
United States ex rel. Bahrani v. Conagra, Inc., 465 F.3d 1189 (10th Cir. 2006) (USDA export certificate obligations)
United States v. Swan, 100 Fed. Appx. 727 (10th Cir. 2004) (violation of Lacey Act)
Bullington v. IBP, Inc., 49 Fed. Appx. 870 (10th Cir. 2002) (corporation, meat inspector, and USDA at fault for inspector's injuries)
ELEVENTH CIRCUIT
In re Conagra Peanut Butter Prods. Liab. Litig., No. 1:07-MD-1845-TWT, 2008 WL 2885951 (N.D. Ga. July 22, 2008) (salmonella bacteria in peanut butter)
IBP, Inc. v. Hady Enters., 267 F. Supp. 2d 1148 (D. Fla. 2002) (false designations of origin violating 15 U.S.C.S. ยง 1125)
D.C. CIRCUIT
Creekstone Farms Premium Beef, L.L.C. v. Dep't of Agric., 539 F.3d 492 (D.C. Cir. 2008) (denial of mad cow testing on all cattle slaughtered)
Munsell v. Dep't of Agric., 509 F.3d 572 (D.C. Cir. 2008) (claim of retaliatory actions by USDA inspectors)
Humane Soc. of U.S. v. Johanns, 2007 WL 1810103 (D.D.C. 2007) (ante-mortem horse slaughter inspection system)
Humane Soc. of U.S. v. Johanns, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 27674 (D.D.C. 2007) (interim final rule regarding horse slaughterhouse inspections)
Humane Soc. of U.S. v. Johanns, 520 F. Supp.2d 8 (D.D.C. 2007) (ante-mortem horse slaughter inspection system)
Int'l Ctr. for Tech. Assessment v. Johanns, 473 F. Supp. 2d 9 (D.D.C. 2007) (Plant Protection Act)
Consumer Fed'n of Am. v. Dep't of Agric., 372 U.S. App. D.C. 198 (D.D.C. 2006) (FOIA request during pending food-safety rule)
Munsell v. United States Dep't of Agric., 435 F. Supp. 2d 149 (D.D.C. 2006) (suspension of USDA inspections)
Int'l Ctr. for Tech. Assessment v. Thompson, 421 F. Supp. 2d 1 (D.D.C. 2006) (NEPA and unregulated commercialization of genetically engineered fish)
Consumer Fed'n of Am. v. USDA, 383 F. Supp. 2d 1 (D.D.C. 2005) (interim final rule regarding Listeriamonocytogenes exposure)
AFGE v. Veneman, 350 U.S. App. D.C. 290 (D.D.C. 2002) (meat and poultry inspection)
CALIFORNIA
People ex rel. Lockyer v. Tri-Union Seafoods, LLC, 2006 WL 1544384 (Cal. Superior, 2006) (maximum allowable dose levels for methylmercury in tuna)
County Sanitation Dist. No. 2 v. County of Kern, 127 Cal. App. 4th 1544 (Cal. Ct. App. 2005) (use of sewage sludge in food production)
DELAWARE
Albu Trading, Inc. v. Allen Family Foods, Inc. 2002 WL 531203 (Del. Super. 2002) (chicken contaminated with salmonella)
FLORIDA
Boca Burger, Inc. v. Forum, 912 So. 2d 561 (Fla. 2005) (food labeling)
MINNESOTA
Sonstegard Foods Co. v. Wellington Underwriting, Inc., 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 37027 (D. Minn. 2007) (E3A requirements)
State v. Hartmann, 700 N.W.2d 449 (Minn. 2005) (inspection of farm-sold meat)
MISSISSIPPI
Slay v. Spell, 882 So. 2d 254 (Miss. Ct. App. 2004) (food safety reporting)
MISSOURI
State ex rel. McDonald's Corp. v. Midkiff, 226 S.W.3d 119 (Mo. 2007) (escherichia coli case and franchisee liability)
MONTANA
James v. McDonalds of Libby, 2004 ML 429 (Mont. Dist. 2004) (food-borne illness claim)
NEW YORK
Cillo v. Resjefal Corp., 16 A.D.3d 339 (N.Y. App. Div. 2005) (escherichia coli claim)
OHIO
Elwer v. Carrol's Corp., 2006 Ohio 6085 (Ohio Ct. App. 2006) (escherichia coli claim)
West American Ins. Group v. Springfield Poultry, Inc. 2005 WL 1491460 (Ohio App. 5 Dist. 2005) (restaurant's failure to pasteurize eggs)
Wygonski v. Medina County Agric. Soc'y, 122 Ohio Misc. 2d 14 (Ohio Misc. 2002) (soft drinks made with contaminated water)
TENNESSEE
Bean v. Bredesen, 2005 Tenn. App. LEXIS 267 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2005) (constitutionality of deer ban)
TEXAS
Nahidmobarekeh v. State, 2006 Tex. App. LEXIS 7403 (Tex. App. 2006) (tampering with a consumer product)
Univ. of N. Tex. v. Harvey, 124 S.W.3d 216 (Tex. App. 2003) (escherichia coli claim)
Nat'l Sports & Spirit, Inc. v. Univ. of N. Tex., 117 S.W.3d 76 (Tex. App. 2003) (food-borne illnesses)
VIRGINIA
Parker v. Commonwealth, 42 Va. App. 358 (Va. Ct. App. 2004) (operating a food manufacturing plant without inspection)
McClellan v. Commonwealth, 39 Va. App. 759 (Va. Ct. App. 2003) (misbranded foods)
WASHINGTON
Almquist v. Finley Sch. Dist. No. 53, 114 Wn. App. 395 (Wash. Ct. App. 2002) (escherichia coli claim)
WISCONSIN
Estate of Kriefall v. Sizzler United States Franchise, 2003 WI App 119 (Wis. Ct. App. 2003) (escherichia coli claim)