FOIA documents expose which companies failed the United States Department of Agriculture’s 2023 antibiotics sampling project and what’s changed since they concluded the project in August.
In an investigation released today, Farm Forward revealed that trusted beef brands like Tyson, Cargill, and JBS have been deceiving consumers by continuing to sell products that are not antibiotic-free under Raised Without Antibiotics (RWA) labels. In an issue brief titled, “Is Antibiotic-Free Meat Really Antibiotic-Free?,” Farm Forward exposes how deceptive use of RWA marketing claims by several major beef companies persisted even after the USDA announced findings from a 2023 antibiotics sampling project, which revealed at least 20 percent of tested cattle samples labeled “raised without antibiotics” or “no antibiotics ever” contained antibiotics.
Farm Forward’s investigation was prompted by the USDA’s refusal to regulate and provide punitive action against bad actors or even disclose which companies’ products tested positive for antibiotics in their study. The agency’s inaction has prevented consumers from being able to make informed decisions about what they eat, what kinds of labels they support, and how much they spend.
Farm Forward Executive Director Andrew deCoriolis said, “The findings from this investigation underscore a pattern of the USDA leaving everyday people across this country to chance and prioritizing industry’s bottom line at our expense. Beef brands that many know and trust have been knowingly defrauding the public with claims that their products are free of antibiotics, and while they are certainly at fault, the USDA—the government agency responsible for regulating America’s agriculture—is at fault for not enforcing the standards they’ve set.
“The USDA claims to ‘keep America’s farmers and ranchers in business and ensure the nation’s meat, poultry, and egg products are safe, wholesome, and properly labeled.’ The data revealed that these products were not properly labeled, and the USDA did nothing about it, and it further proves that agribusiness is being protected, but the American people are not.”
Bill Niman, well-known California rancher, added, “The deceptive marketing of ‘antibiotic-free’ meat creates an uneven playing field that severely disadvantages truly humane and sustainable farmers and ranchers. While industrial producers make misleading claims with the USDA’s tacit approval, genuine small-scale producers who actually raise animals without antibiotics must compete against these false narratives. These ethical farmers invest significantly more in proper animal care, space, and preventive health measures to legitimately avoid antibiotics, resulting in higher production costs. When large meat companies can simply slap misleading labels on their products without actually changing their practices, they undercut honest producers on price while stealing their market share. This deception not only harms consumers who believe they’re making ethical choices but systematically undermines the economic viability of the very farming systems that could transform our food system for the better.”
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