HF4913

Purpose

Establishes a new civil remedy for disparaging perishable food products. The goal is to protect producers from false statements that harm their reputation and may imply their products are unsafe or produced using unsafe farming practices.

Main Provisions

• Creates a civil cause of action for disparagement of a perishable food product, under Minnesota law (new Section 604.125).
• Elements of the claim:
  • A person disparages a perishable food product with the intent to harm the reputation of the perishable food product producer.
  • The producer suffers harm as a result.
  • The disparagement involves knowingly false statements.
  • The statements claim the perishable food product is not safe for human consumption, or that the agricultural practices used to produce the product render it not safe for human consumption.
• Remedies:
  • The court may award general damages, special damages, or other relief that is just and equitable.
• Time limit:
  • A disparagement action must be started within one year of when the cause of action arose.
• Definitions:
  • Agricultural practices: the practices used in crop or livestock production, including fertilizers, tillage, and crop protection in crop production; and feeding, transporting, housing, and health practices in livestock production.
  • Perishable food product: defined as in Minnesota Statutes section 34A.01, subdivision 9.
• Scope:
  • The new provision applies to the civil law framework for disparagement of perishable food products and is connected to Minnesota Statutes chapter 604.

Significance and Impact

• Provides a formal legal remedy to producers facing false claims about safety or farming methods.
• Addresses reputational harm tied to claims about food safety and agricultural practices.
• Introduces a specific one-year deadline and a clear standard that statements must be knowingly false.

Definitions in Practice

• Perishable food product: refers to products covered by the definition in 34A.01, subdivision 9, guiding what kinds of foods are protected under this statute.
• Agricultural practices: covers both crop production and livestock production activities, emphasizing the full range of production methods that can be alleged as contributing to safety concerns.

Relevant Terms disparagement, perishable food product, producers, knowingly false statements, not safe for human consumption, agricultural practices, fertilizers, tillage, crop protection, crop production, feeding, transporting, housing, health practices, livestock production, general damages, special damages, equitable relief, one year, Minnesota Statutes, section 604.125, 34A.01 subdivision 9.