One Bad Egg Spoils the Whole Ag Basket

A agricultural PR catastrophe is brewing in the United States as a result of two Iowa farms that together recalled more than half a billion (yes, half a billion) potentially tainted eggs during the month of August. Both of the Iowa farms are linked to “one bad egg,” Austin DeCoster. DeCoster is no stranger to controversy in his farm operations, as is evidenced by the following numerous health, safety, and employment violations over the past several years:

• In 1997, DeCoster agreed to pay $2 million in fines to settle citations brought in 1996 for health and safety violations. The Department of Labor stated the conditions were “as dangerous and oppressive as any sweatshop.”
• In 2000, Iowa classified DeCoster as a “habitual violator” of environmental regulations for problems that included hog manure runoff into waterways.
• In 2002, the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission announced a more than $1.5 million settlement of an employment discrimination lawsuit against DeCoster on behalf of Mexican women who reported they were subjected to sexual harassment, including rape, abuse, and retaliation by some supervisors.
• In 2007, 51 workers were arrested during an immigration raid at 6 DeCoster farms.
• In June 2010, DeCoster agreed to pay penalties over animal cruelty allegations that were spurred by a hidden-camera investigation by an animal welfare organization.

Bad eggs, such as DeCoster, devastate a thriving agricultural industry wherein 99% of the industry take pride in giving back to communities, providing safe places to work and healthy incomes, protecting the environment, providing safe and healthy food sources, and adhering to federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Sham on you Mr. DeCoster for tarnishing the ag industry.