The Department of Agriculture says the American Egg Board engaged in inappropriate conduct following a USDA checkoff review. The results announced last week regarding what’s known as “mayogate” stem from an Agricultural Marketing Service review after Egg Board emails became public. Politico reports the emails appeared to show a coordinated campaign against San Francisco-based Hampton Creek and its egg-less mayo. The company CEO then filed a complaint with USDA alleging nine difference cases of misconduct by the Egg Board. USDA says the review did not substantiate all nine allegations but did reveal several instances of inappropriate conduct by Egg Board staff and board members. USDA says the conduct included inappropriate emails, an inappropriate focus on a specific company and deleted emails by the Egg Board CEO regarding the matter. USDA says all inappropriate conduct stopped once the review began.
From the National Association of Farm Broadcasting news service.