A longtime agriculture industry watchdog has sued Tyson Foods, alleging the company misleads consumers by marketing \u201cclimate friendly\u201d beef and by promising to slash its climate-warming emissions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Arkansas-based Tyson, the world\u2019s second largest meat producer, sells its \u201cBrazen Beef\u201d with a \u201cclimate smart\u201d label and has publicly stated<\/a> it intends to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. But environmental groups, supported by mounting scientific research, have underscored the near impossibility of mass-producing beef in ways that benefit the climate and have accused Tyson and other beef producers of greenwashing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u200b\u200b\u201cPeople want their purchasing power to reflect their values,\u201d said Caroline Leary, a lawyer for the Environmental Working Group (EWG), which filed the suit Wednesday. \u201cThis case is about protecting consumers from being misled. As more people seek out climate-friendly options, companies are taking advantage of this interest.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Livestock, especially cattle, are the world\u2019s biggest source of agricultural methane, an especially potent greenhouse gas. As of 2017, the world\u2019s top five meat and dairy producers are responsible for more greenhouse gases<\/a> than Shell, BP or Exxon. Tyson alone emits as much as whole industrialized countries\u2014Belgium or Austria, for example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n