A former employee of Driscoll’s, the world’s largest distributor of berries, has filed a civil suit alleging the company knowingly violated Canadian import rules and over-applied pesticides in violation of California state law for years.

Allegations of Violations and Cover-Up

According to the suit, the former employee, David Harada, was hired by Driscoll’s in September 2022 as a Pest Control Advisor/Agronomist and was later promoted to Manager of Food Safety and Regulatory Compliance for the United States and Canada.

Harada alleges that he discovered multiple violations of pesticide label laws by Driscoll’s growers and reported them to his supervisors. However, instead of addressing the issues, the company asked him to focus on maintaining profitability and determining the company’s plausible deniability for the violations.

When Harada refused to help cover up the violations, he was forced to resign. The suit alleges that Driscoll’s violated state and federal labor laws by retaliating against Harada for his disclosures.

Regulations and Safety Concerns

National and international regulations limit the maximum amount of pesticide residue that can remain on produce. Driscoll’s, as a distributor, is required to comply with these regulations and ensure that its produce meets the safety standards of countries it exports to.

The company uses an internal system, known as the Food Safety and Compliance Tracking System (FACTS), to track compliance with safety regulations. However, the suit alleges that Driscoll’s failed to properly use this system to address the pesticide label violations.

The allegations against Driscoll’s raise concerns about the safety of the company’s produce and the potential risks to consumers. The suit seeks damages for Harada’s wrongful termination and retaliation.

Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.