Beyond Meat Calls For Food Industry Transparency

Ethan Brown, the founder and CEO of vegan chicken brand Beyond Meat responded to the recent raw chicken salmonella outbreak that has hospitalized more than 300 people by calling for greater transparency among meat producers in an open letter posted on the company’s website. Brown touted the clean, health-conscious standards of his Columbia, Missouri plant, inviting consumers to visit the facility to see how their food is made, and he challenged the country’s major animal agriculture companies to practice the same openness and accountability. “So now the ball is in your court, Ron Foster (Foster Farms), Donnie Smith (Tyson), Jim Perdue (Perdue), Bill Lovette (Pilgrim’s Pride) and other protein providers,” wrote Brown in his letter. “Will you pledge to open your processing facilities to the public?”