Chicken processor refutes whistleblower’s organic mislabelling claims
Former manager Vashti Dalipsingh held a news conference to allege that family-owned Cericola Farms, based in Bradford, Ontario, had falsely labelled conventional chicken products as organic in order to fill orders and ship on schedule. She subsequently alleged that the products were also falsely labelled as being free of antibiotics.
Dalipsingh, who was fired in April, has filed a statement of claim with the superior court against Cericola Farms alleging wrongful dismissal and is suing for aggravated damages and punitive damages.
"The allegations made by Vashti Dalipsingh, an employee we terminated in April 2015, are frivolous and vexatious, and we intend to vigorously defend our company in court," said a company spokesperson. "We take all reasonable measures to ensure compliance with applicable law and best practices."
It is claimed that the products, which include Blue Goose Organic and Blue Goose AABF, were sold in supermarkets including Loblaws, Costco and Sobeys in the Greater Toronto and New Brunswick area. Dalipsingh says she uncovered the "mislabelling fraud" in January, 2015, after she had been promoted to director of operations.
She said the plant’s quality assurance department was ordered by management to falsify records and change code stickers to make non-organic poultry appear to be organic.
