Witnesses from national grocery and agriculture firms are set to testify this week at the defamation trial between Beef Products Incorporated and ABC News. The plaintiff argues the network and correspondent Jim Avila disparaged its lean, finely textured beef product by using the term 'pink slime.' South Dakota Public Broadcasting's Jeremy Ludemann reports.
Nick Roth is a notable name on this week’s witness list. He’s the son of BPI founders Eldon and Regina Roth and owns the company along with his parents and sister Jennifer.
Titles of other witnesses include vice presidents, senior directors, and research and development officials from the nation’s largest grocery chains and meat companies.
Chad Martin with Tyson Foods is expected to testify by deposition. Martin is the chair of the Beef Industry Food Safety Council. The council’s website says it gathers information from sectors ranging from restaurant owners to producers to create a unified food safety agenda.
Megan Hobbs is the director of beef research and development with Cargill and manages its finely textured beef business. A 2016 ranking by Forbes places Cargill as the largest private company by revenue in the U.S. The company’s interests span from financial risk management to manufacturing agricultural feed.
Jason Simon with Walmart is set to testify as well. He serves as the senior director of meat merchandising for the retailer.
Beef merchandising directors and managers for grocery chains Kroger, Safeway, SuperValu, and Food Lion are also on this week’s witness list.
The trial is set to continue until late July at the Union County Courthouse in Elk Point. BPI claims almost two billion dollars in actual damages in the case. If the company wins, that figure may be tripled under the South Dakota Agricultural Food Products Disparagement Act.