Organic Consumers Association, with Richman Law & Policy, sue West Pak Avocado and Fresh Del Monte Produce Over Misleading "Sustainable" and "Responsibly Sourced" Marketing Claims that Obscure Illegal Deforestation
WASHINGTON, Aug. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Organic Consumers Association and Richman Law & Policy filed separate complaints against West Pak Avocado and Fresh Del Monte Produce on August 2, 2024, in the District of Columbia Superior Court. The complaints alleges that both avocado importers, in violation of the District of Columbia Consumer Protection Procedures Act, deceptively market their avocados as "sustainable" and "responsibly sourced" when they are in reality driving deforestation in the Mexican states of Michoacán and Jalisco, where all Mexican avocados sold in the United States originate.
West Pak Avocado, the complaint alleges, misleads consumers by claiming that it is "committed to growing avocados without forest clearing," and that its mission is to bring "sustainably, and responsibly sourced avocados to consumers."
West Pak claims to be the "trusted leader in avocados," and represents on its website that it "work[s] hard to ensure [its] avocados are, grown, processed, and delivered safely, fairly, and responsibly . . . [and its] respect for people and nature enables [the] company to grow and prosper over the long term in harmony with the needs of communities and ecosystems."
Del Monte attests that its products, including its avocados, are sourced responsibly and sustainably and that its growers "implement the best practices that protect the environment."
Del Monte says on its website that "sustainability isn't just a word, it's woven into every fiber of our business" and that its "business is built on agriculture and ecosystems thriving together."
Despite these claims, Mexican government shipping records and satellite imagery indicate that West Pak and Del Monte each source avocados from multiple orchards grown on deforested land in Michoacán. For example, satellite imagery included in the complaints illustrate that one of the orchards where Del Monte sourced avocados in 2022 was covered with native forest in 2011, while West Pak sourced avocados in 2022 from an orchard that was covered with native forest in 2015.
Avocado orchards accounted for about one-fifth of the deforestation in Michoacán and neighboring Jalisco between 2001 and 2017. This deforestation impacts the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt Pine-Oak Forests ecoregion. Most famous for being the winter nesting grounds of the monarch butterfly, it is also home to rare birds, amphibians and reptiles, as well as 50 percent of Mexico's unique mammal species.
Intense water use by avocado orchards deprives local residents of water and hurts small-scale family farmers growing food for their communities (not for export, as with West Pak and Del Monte).
In February of this year, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar expressed concern about the proliferation of avocado orchards on illegally deforested land during a visit to Michoacán, stating that Mexican avocado exporters "shouldn't have the opportunity to sell those avocados to the United States market."
Whether legal or illegal, the conversion of natural forests to avocado plantations for West Pak and Del Monte releases greenhouse gasses, reduces carbon storage, threatens biodiversity and drains aquifers. Marketing these avocados as "sustainable" and "responsibly sourced" is misleading.
Organic Consumers Association and Richman Law & Policy are fighting to end this type of deceptive marketing directed at D.C. consumers.
West Pak and Del Monte's avocados are sold throughout the country including in Washington, D.C.
To view the complaint against West Pak, follow this link. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_R0UNfRNz3N_n35BiXIeE3RTWAi_PbkU/view
The Del Monte complaint can be seen here.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LKjSR8n2u5nfJrGSwStOkOpDZpZEOP5i/view
ORGANIC CONSUMERS ASSOCIATION
Organic Consumers Association is a national nonprofit 501(c)(3) advocacy organization based in Washington, DC, and Finland, MN. OCA addresses crucial issues around food safety, industrial agriculture, genetic engineering, children's health, corporate accountability, Fair Trade and environmental sustainability. OCA reaches more than two million people each week via email and social media.
ABOUT RICHMAN LAW & POLICY
Richman Law & Policy is the leading law firm representing consumers and nonprofit organizations in legal advocacy challenging deceptive marketing claims regarding the "greenwashing" and "humanewashing" of animal products. Using consumer protection statutes and other legal tools, Richman Law & Policy has successfully brought numerous actions against companies and operations that deceive consumers about their alleged sustainability and animal care practices.
Media Contact
Ercilia Sahores, Organic Consumers Association, 218-226-4164, [email protected], https://organicconsumers.org/
SOURCE Organic Consumers Association
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