The document discusses food integrity and the role of whistleblowers in exposing problems in the food system. It defines food integrity as considering food issues from soil to plate, beyond just safety. Whistleblowers help report unlawful and immoral practices that promote health issues. The Food Integrity Campaign (FIC) supports whistleblowers and works on issues like agribusiness practices that prioritize profits over health, food waste, and exposing problems at various stages of food production, processing, transportation, and retail.

1. Consumption What is Food Integrity?
GAP’s
Whistleblow- The term “food integrity” implies a global per-
ers play a critical spective on food issues – from soil to plate. The Food Integrity Campaign
role in reporting term goes beyond food safety to include how
unlawful and food is produced, procured, and distributed.
immoral practices Whistleblowing in the
of food industries
that promote
Food with integrity is produced in ways con-
sistent with community values, principles, and
Food Industry
starvation, obesity,
and disease. These truth-tellers also expose hidden beliefs. Regrettably, today’s industrialized food
toxins and health risks associated with food refuse, system is often an affront to our values and a
which ultimately contaminates the soil and streams danger to our health.
that nourish tomorrow’s crops.
FIC supports citizen activists who speak out against
problems with this system, and works closely with
coalition groups that focus on the following issues:
• Agribusiness and Health: The corporate food
system is about maximizing earnings – not nour- foodwhistleblower.org
ishment and health. Even food that is prepared
in sanitary conditions is often a menace to public
health, addicting consumers to dangerous levels The mission of the Food Integrity Campaign
of fat, salt and sugar. This leads to diabetes, obe- (FIC) – a program of the Government Ac-
sity, hypertension and death.
countability Project – is to enhance overall food
integrity by protecting the rights of employees
• Leftovers: The sheer amount of food waste and
disposable containers produced in America is in the food industry and government who speak
massive. These ‘leftovers’ often end up in landfills out against unsafe, unhealthy and inhumane
and incinerators that release dangerous toxins practices.
into the air and soil, in turn poisoning water foodwhistleblower.org
sources and tomorrow’s food supply. Other
chemicals – including many man-made toxins
– enter the environment as a result of industrial Government Accountability Project
processes and end up in the food chain, posing a
direct threat to public health. 1612 K St., NW, Suite #1100
Washington, D.C. 20006 A Program of the
202-457-0034 Government Accountability Project

2. Life on Problems with Transportation
the “Farm” Processing and Retail
Modern-day agriculture is a radical departure from Most foods available at the supermarket have gone Transportation and retail food handling are critical
the iconic image of livestock roaming freely in through some form of processing. Not all process- components of the food supply chain. Unfortu-
grassy fields. From field to factory, food production ing is necessarily dangerous to consumers – but the nately, food safety issues that arise during these key
has been industrialized in order to churn out ever- large-scale phases are often overlooked. Food transport – often
greater amounts of product. That may be good for production involving trucks traveling over one thousand miles
the few who reap the profits but it’s not always such facilities pres- – presents critical challenges such as contamination-
a blessing for industry workers, the environment, or ent numerous free storage and proper refrigeration that can lead to
animals subjected to inhumane treatment. opportunities dangerous public health outcomes. Retail stores have
for food safe- a history of selling products that are unsafely handled
The Food Integrity Campaign (FIC) exists to change ty problems. or past expiration dates. In this area, FIC helps work-
that. FIC protects food industry insiders who blow Often, bad ers expose problems within:
the whistle on problems on the “farm,” including: management
practices in • Shipping and Distribution: Food integrity
• Harmful Environmental Impacts: Waste and these facilities are to blame for some of the widest issues range from improper temperature expo-
contaminants from these industrialized facilities and most deadly food safety outbreaks. FIC works sure on loading docks to bioterrorism threats.
that endanger our fragile ecosystem, placing us with whistleblowers on the following issues within Distribution centers and warehouses hold a
all at unnecessary, serious health risks. processing plants and slaughterhouses: tremendous amount of our food on a daily basis,
but the sheer amount of product and turnaround
• Inhumane Handling: Animal mistreatment is • Contamination: Deadly pathogens like E. coli procedures presents countless opportunities for
frequent, and includes driving cattle too fast, and Salmonella can increase and spread as a contamination.
excessive prodding, and forcibly moving livestock result of improper food handling and hygiene,
that are too weak to stand on their own. especially in plants where thousands of animals
are housed in a single facility – increasing the
• Worker Rights: Workers have limited whistle- likelihood of cross-contamination.
blower protections and are often exploited. Mi-
grant workers who choose to come forward risk • Additives: Commonly used to enhance the
their welfare and possible deportation. color, flavor or shelf life of food, additives are
chemicals and may be harmful. Food industry
titans often take advantage of loopholes to keep
ingredients off of product labels.
• Retail: The conduct of retail establishments gives
• Agency Regulation: Many processing problems rise to several issues involving both the safety
result from insufficient government author- and wholesomeness of foods. GAP has exposed
ity to regulate the food industry. Current food many acts of selling expired or unsafe food, and
oversight is inefficient and allows regulators to product mislabeling.
become cozy with the industries they regulate.