OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Warren, Raskin Call on USDA to Hold Meatpacking Giant JBS Accountable and Eliminate Company's Government Contracts in Response to Its History of Criminal Misconduct

Press Release

Date: April 19, 2023
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Government Operations Food Processing and Sales

"J&F and its subsidiaries have been subjected to at least $3.4 billion in fines and penalties in both the U.S. and Brazil in the past 6 years alone. Yet despite the scale of this figure and J&F's pattern of brazen misconduct, USDA has continued awarding JBS and Pilgrim's Pride government contracts--for nutrition assistance programs, school meal programs, and food bank donations--worth over $115 million collectively since their guilty pleas.

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We have broad concerns about the failure of DOJ, USDA, and other federal agencies to use their authority to suspend and debar individuals and entities that engage in criminal conduct or pose a risk to the public interest. The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) permits an agency to debar an entity if it is convicted of or receives a civil judgment for 'any…offense indicating a lack of business integrity or business honesty.' Additionally, the FAR includes a catchall provision permitting an agency to debar a contractor for any cause 'of so serious or compelling a nature that it affects the present responsibility of the contractor or subcontractor.'"


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