BPI Lawsuit Against ABC News Over “Pink Slime” to Proceed in December

The Beef Products Inc. (BPI) suit against ABC News will proceed with oral arguments on December 17, 2013 in South Dakota state court. The suit resulted from network’s use of the term “pink slime” to describe Lean Finely Textured Beef (LFTB), a beef product made by BPI. BPI brings the claim under South Dakota’s defamation and food disparagement laws, arguing that ABC misled consumers to believe that LFTB is unhealthy and unsafe, resulting in the closure of three of four BPI plants and layoffs of over 700 employees. BPI is seeking 1.2 billion dollars in damages. ABC is arguing that it did not knowingly disparage BPI or LFTB.

In June of 2013, the case was remanded from federal court to state court, where the suit was originally filed in October of 2012.

For more information about the ongoing lawsuit, please see Justia.com.

Written by Sarah L. Doyle - Research Assistant

The Agricultural Law Resource and Reference Center

@PSUAgLawCenter

October 24, 2013