Organic Chicken Fraud

CFIA is investigating allegations that lower quality chicken was being fraudulently packaged and labeled as antibiotic free, animal by-products free ("AABF"), organic chicken by Cericola Farms Inc.

The story details can be read here and here.

While Vashti Dalipsingh was the Director of Operations at Cericola Farms Inc., during more than five month period she alleges that she was repeatedly ordered to package normal broiler chickens as the premium grade antibiotic free, animal by-products free ("AABF") organic chicken; usually when they ran out of organic chicken.  Dalipsingh says she dug into Cericola's records and realized the fraudulent practice had been going on for eight months before she was fired in April (placing the start date at Sept 2014).  She claims that up to 10,000 kg./wk. of conventional meat was intentionally labelled organic to keep up with demand by Cericola's customers.

Running out of organic chicken prior to filling the entire quantity ordered by national chain customers (eg. Loblaws, Sobeys, Costco, etc.) is a dangerous occurrence that is not tolerated by these huge customers.

Cericola claims to be the 2nd largest supplier or organic chicken, and to have been supplying "organic" chicken for 56 years (ie. since 1959).  The world's first recorded use of "organic" in the sense of "free from pesticides and fertilizers" was attested in 1942; 17 years before Cericola's first use.

The products, which include Blue Goose Organic and Blue Goose AABF, ended up on shelves at Sobeys, Loblaws and Costco in Greater Toronto and in the Moncton, N.B. area, Dalipsingh’s legal team said.

Of course, Cericola Farms insists that all is well, their chicken is fantastic, and there is no basis for the allegations made against them.  Did you expect them to say anything different?  Cericola Farms said Dalipsingh's allegations "are frivolous and vexatious, and we intend to vigorously defend our company in court".

Blue Goose, one of the organic chicken brands wounded by these allegations against Cericola has said that they are standing by Cericola, as is Loblaws.  Loblaws was also reported to have said they would "act quickly" if the allegations are proven.  On Monday June 15th 2015 I spoke to the Store Manager of a Loblaws who told me that he had received a recall notice from his head office for a number of SKU's of Blue Goose, but he had none of the recalled SKU's on the store shelves.

If CFIA does their job, they can readily find other employees who witnessed or participated in the fraud, if it occurred.  Whether these other witnesses come forward will likely depend on how much fear Cericola is able to raise in the employee's minds.  If people think that whistleblowing will cost them their job, or perhaps everybody's job if the plant is caused to be shut down, they will likely keep quiet.

Forensic auditing can easily determine if more organic chicken was shipped out of Cericola's plant than what was grown.  Farms are required to keep records for at least 12 months to 7 years, depending on the type of record.  Inventory records are kept on the stock of organic chicken in the process and the storage coolers.  In a day to a week of detective work, the truth can be outed.  How hard will CFIA investigate?

CFIA may choose to telephone Cericola's President, where the following conversation might occur:

CFIA:   "Did you do that alleged organic chicken fraud?".

Cericola's President:   "NO!"

CFIA:    "That's good enough for me.  Sorry to bother you.  This case is closed."

CFIA wraps up another investigation in record time.  While CFIA may not be effective, they certainly are quick to start, and quick to finish.

In time, we will see what CFIA actually decides to do.

The other possibility is the unjust dismissal lawsuit.  While civil suits require full disclosure of info by each party, I'm not so naive to think this always happens as it should.

If it's like the Egg Mafia who were caught shipping known defective eggs by CFIA, there will be a giant purge of computer records, and mountains of shredded papers.  Of course, that wasn't criminal conspiracy to hamper a police investigation, it was just Spring Cleaning.

Canada's Supply Management System for chicken ensures that these multi-millionaire chicken farmers are the highest paid farmers in Canada, according to Stats Canada.

Importers of chicken are forced to pay tariffs as high as 285% so as to protect chicken farmers and producers.  Consumers pay 50% to 300% more for chicken than the rest of the world.  In spite of this, there are ongoing allegations, time and again, of fraud, corruption, abuse, and cheating within the system (eg. spent hens, fraudulent FCR's, contaminated chicken, chicken exports, IREP chicken, animal cruelty, and many more.)

Just how much further along this terrible path will we be forced to march?

Micky D Chicken Rules Change

McDonald's Restaurants in USA have decided that they will "solely source chickens that are grown without antibiotics that are important to human medicine".

Today, the old McDonald's sees itself
differently.  McDonald's is transforming
into the new, hipper, millennial version
of itself.  (Image from NY Times)

McDonald's ("McD") is the world's largest restaurant chain. McD is the #1 buyer of beef in the world, but McD sells more chicken than beef, and one of the world's largest buyers of chicken.  This adds McD to a growing field of other restaurants (eg. US' Chipotle Mexican Grill, Chick-fil-A and Canada's A&W) who will no longer settle for the crappy chicken previously pushed onto consumers by the Chicken Mafia.  That's why this announcement is BIG!  McD doesn't make rash decisions on a whim, they do their research first.

CBC Radio said:

The fast food giant issued a statement acknowledging, “Consumer needs and preferences have changed... McDonald’s current performance reflects the urgent need to evolve with today’s consumers, reset strategic priorities and restore business momentum.”

Larry Light, the former Chief Marketing Officer for McDonald's USA said:

 "It is a crisis. McDonald's has unfortunately lost its way. The consumer has changed and McDonald's stood still."  

Canada's Chicken Mafia had better wake up and smell the McCafé® coffee.

Are you listening, CFO?

The Drugs
What exactly are "antibiotics that are important to human medicine"?

There are 4 classes of antibiotics used on humans.  Class 1 is critically important to curing infections that likely cannot be treated any other way.  Class 4 is the least important.  It would seem that McDonald's ban on antibiotics includes all 4 classes.

Ionophores, another family of drugs, is generally considered to not be an antibiotic.  However, ionophores are often fed to factory chickens to promote growth by reducing the impact of questionable growing practices and diseases inside CAFO's (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations).  Ionophores (eg. drugs used to treat coccidiosis), are not used for humans.  Therefore it would seem that McD's antibiotic ban wouldn't include ionophores, other drugs, or feed additives used by most CAFO's.

Does McD's ban go far enough, or too far?  Should a restaurant dictate farming practices?

The Government
The so-called "experts" of Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, & Rural Affairs ("OMAFRA"), who are for the most part fossilized dinosaurs, who give unquestioning love and support to their Chicken Mafia masters, says it is impossible to do chicken factory CAFO's without using antibiotics.  Here is a quick taste of OMAFRA's dogma:

Q. Should the use of antimicrobials in agriculture be stopped?

A. No. Antimicrobials used in agricultural production systems help to control animal and crop diseases, and reducing disease helps to keep the cost of food reasonable. It can also help to prevent diseases from spreading from animals to people.

However, antimicrobials need to be used cautiously in agriculture, human medicine and public health applications. Prudent use means antimicrobials are not used excessively or indiscriminately. Many organizations have developed or are developing guidelines for prudent use of antimicrobials in animals and people.

The same goes for other bureaucratic, fossilized "experts" at Canadian Food Inspection Agency ("CFIA") and elsewhere.

The Farmers
Yorkshire Valley Farms of Peterborough, Ont., has proven that OMAFRA's fossilized "expert" apologists for drugged chicken to be wrong.
 
Did CFO help Yorkshire lead the way?   CFO decided to observe from the sidelines or sit on their hands, rather than offering significant help for Yorkshire to create a new future for chicken in Ontario.

I, a small flock chicken farmer, and most other small flock chicken farmers, do not use antibiotics on a regular, consistent basis with our chickens.  We keep our birds healthy by better farming practices.  We're not chained to using antibiotics as a risky, partially effective use of antibiotics that has significant negative consequences for many, including the consumer.

The rollout of McNuggets in the US happened between 1979 and 1983.  The Chicken Mafia caused a delay for McNuggets in Canada.  When McDonald's introduced Chicken McNuggets to Canada, Cuddy Foods in London ON won the contract to produce those McNuggets, but could never get enough chicken to supply that contract due to the infighting, jealousy, and posturing by all the Chicken Mafia factions across Canada.

For now, McDonald's in Canada won't be following the US McDonald's lead; possibly because of the previous difficulties and obstructionist Supply Management policies in Canada.

McDonald's has made this Antibiotic-Free decision (and other similar moves in Europe and US) because they understand McDonald's must change with the times.  McDonald's same store sales and profits have crashed in the last 2 years.  McDonald's chicken contamination scandal in S.E. Asia was a major blow there, and still is.  A cautionary tale to the Chicken Mafia here, and their questionable food quality practices.

McDonald's Net Profit & Net Income, slumping since Q3 2013
Ref.: Market Realist

McDonald's needs to protect and retain what they still have, and help those customers who left to return.  This can only be achieved by offering the customers what they want:  more nutritious, better food at a reasonable price.

chickens raised without antibiotics of importance to human medicine - See more at: file:///C:/Users/Glenn%20Black/Documents/BBay/Farming/Poultry/Chickens/Blog/Pending%20Posts/McD-ChickenDrugs/McDonaldsAntibioticFreeChicken.htm#sthash.LZLuYBhj.dpuf

chickens raised without antibiotics of importance to human medicine - See more at: file:///C:/Users/Glenn%20Black/Documents/BBay/Farming/Poultry/Chickens/Blog/Pending%20Posts/McD-ChickenDrugs/McDonaldsAntibioticFreeChicken.htm#sthash.LZLuYBhj.dpuf

chickens raised without antibiotics of importance to human medicine - See more at: file:///C:/Users/Glenn%20Black/Documents/BBay/Farming/Poultry/Chickens/Blog/Pending%20Posts/McD-ChickenDrugs/McDonaldsAntibioticFreeChicken.htm#sthash.LZLuYBhj.dpuf

Food Quality & Nutrition: Factory Chicken Vs. Alternatives

By Jennifer Halton

Organic Chicken Offers a More Beneficial Omega-3 to Omega-6 Ratio

Although we were once advised to focus on foods low in saturated fat, and more recently those low in trans fats, the benefits of choosing foods with a favourable ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids is increasingly clear. Therefore not only is it important to increase our intake of omega-3 fatty acids, but at the same time we need to control our intake of omega-6. Traditionally our diet had close to an equal ratio of these polyunsaturated fats, but according to an article published in Canadian Family Physician (2006) a typical North American diet now has a ratio close to 16:1 in favour of omega-6 fatty acids. This increased ratio may explain why cardiovascular disease and other chronic health problems are now much more prevalent. One way to lower this ratio is to carefully select the meats we eat, as the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats can vary widely.

Health benefits of adjusting the ratio

As mentioned in the article in Canadian Family Physician, omega-3 fatty acids are cardio-protective in several ways, helping to reduce inflammation, arterial narrowing and blood clot formation, while controlling the rhythm of our heartbeat. Meanwhile, Healthy Canada explains that omega-6 fatty acids are associated with inflammation, a risk factor for heart disease and stroke, as well as various other chronic health problems. Omega-3 fatty acids exert their benefits beyond the health of our blood vessels though. For instance, KwikMed advises that omega-3 fatty acids are needed for healthy brain development both in the uterus and during a child’s early years of life. These essential fatty acids also seem to protect our mental health, as Ascenta Health informs us that low intakes of omega-3 are associated with an increased risk of depression. Besides protecting our cardiovascular and brain health, Auum Omega 3 describes how the anti-inflammatory effects of omega-3s may also reduce our risk of diabetes, cancer and multiple sclerosis, which are less common among populations with a more favourable intake of omega-3.

Modifying our dietary intake

Oily fish are one of the best dietary sources of omega-3 available, with wild salmon providing more than 10 times as much omega-3 as omega-6 fats. However, choosing meats with a healthier ratio of these two fatty acids is another helpful way to regulate our intake of these fats. As shown in the table below, the ratio of commonly consumed meats varies between close to 2:1 and 27:1. Caribou offers the most favourable ratio of omega-3 and 6 thanks to the fact that the meat is naturally organic, grazing on grasses and other plants, which themselves are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. This is also why grass-fed beef also offers a more beneficial ratio of fats when compared to other domestic meats and particularly to grain fed beef. Of the other domesticated meats, chicken offers the best ratio of polyunsaturated fats, coming ahead of turkey and even beating wild duck. Offering the least favourable ratio by far is pork, so even if you choose lean pork, which is low in saturated fat, it has far more omega-6 by ratio than any of the other meats considered.

Meat	Omega 6 (mg)	Omega 3 (mg)	Omega 6: omega 3
Caribou	230	100	2.3
Grass-fed beef	80	21	3.8
Chicken	170	40	4.3
Lamb	310	60	5.2
Turkey	270	40	6.8
Duck (wild)	372	51	7.3
Duck (domestic)	670	80	8.4
Beef	187	20	9.4
Pork	222	8	27.8

Figures based on 100g of raw meat, using values provided by Nutrition Data

Omega-3 and omega-6 in organic chicken

While a nutrient analysis report by the Chicken Farmers of Canada (2014) showed there was no significant difference between the amounts of omega-3 and omega-6 contained in organic and non-organic chicken, this is contrary to previous findings. For example, a research paper shared on Academia.edu (2012) highlighted that a systematic review by scientists at Stanford University found that organic chicken contains significantly more omega-3 than its grain fed counterparts. As with grass-fed beef, this is due to the higher omega-3 content of plants growing in the pasture, especially leguminous varieties such as vetch and clover. Indeed an article published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (2005) showed that the fatty acid content of poultry is strongly influenced by the omega-3 and omega-6 content of their diet.

Based on this, nutritional data for commercially reared birds should show a less favourable omega-3 to 6 ratio. However, companies such as Tyson and MapleLodge do not provide complete nutritional information for their chicken, merely showing that it is low in saturated and trans fats, without giving a breakdown of their polyunsaturated fat content. For consumers still focused on saturated and trans fats, this is reassurance enough, but with increasing awareness of the benefits of meat with an optimal ratio of omega-3 and omega-6, this is not sufficient to convince those of us who know that organic poultry is a healthier choice.