Animal Law Podcast #86: A Case of (Un)”Sustainable” Salmon

It's become pretty clear that the more that meat-eating consumers find out about how the animals they eat were treated, the more temptation there is for the industry to, shall we say, fudge the truth. Thus, today I will be talking to Dije Ndreu and Brooke Dekolf of Richman Law and Policy about two cases they are currently litigating regarding the "sustainability" claims being made by Aldi Grocery Stores regarding the salmon Aldi sells in its stores. These cases are based on some compelling evidence that what Aldi means when it says "sustainable" isn't remotely similar to the expansive meaning that most people give it. Dije and Brooke will also explain why there are two cases — one in federal court in Illinois and one in Superior Court of the District of Columbia —, why the conditions in which these salmon live and die are so dreadful both for the environment and for the salmon themselves, what the prospects are for attorney's fees, and how consumer protection law is becoming such an important tool for those seeking to use the law to address what we are doing to animals, including aquatic ones.

Dije Ndreu recently joined Richman Law & Policy as Senior Associate. Her work focuses on protecting consumers from false advertising related to animal welfare. Before joining RLP, Dije served for more than a decade as a consumer and environmental protection prosecutor in the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office in California. There she brought civil unfair competition cases against violators ranging from small local entities to large national corporations. She prosecuted greenwashing and other false advertising actions and handled hazardous waste, water pollution, asbestos, pesticide exposure, and other environmental cases. Prior to her career in law, Dije worked as a chemist and environmental manager, specializing in water quality. Dije received her J.D. from Golden Gate University School of Law in 2007, and also has B.S. and M.S. degrees in chemistry from U.C. Santa Cruz and U.C. San Diego, respectively. Vegan since 2005, Dije lives with her husband, two children, and two cats.

Brooke Dekolf is an Associate and Animal Welfare Fellow at Richman Law & Policy. She focuses on animal welfare litigation with a particular emphasis on accountability and transparency in aquaculture. Previously, she was a fellow for the Law, Ethics & Animals Program, served as a director for the 2020 Rebellious Lawyering Conference, and worked as an intern for Legal Services of New Jersey and the American Civil Libertes Union Reproductive Freedom Project. Brooke received her J.D. from Yale Law School in 2021, and a B.A. in English and Women's and Gender Studies from Rutgers University in 2017. During her free time, she enjoys walking New York City with her dog, Saint.

View the full episode with resources here: https://ourhenhouse.org/ALP86/ The Animal Law Podcast is released by the nonprofit organization, Our Hen House. Share your thoughts with us on social media! Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (@ourhenhouse).