When McDonald’s announced in March that it would be phasing out the use of medically important antibiotics in raising the chickens that supply its 14,000 U.S. restaurants, some asked, “What about the Big Mac and the McRib?” Since then, Tyson Foods and Foster Farms have made commitments to responsible use of antibiotics in chicken production.…
Tyson ‘Striving to Eliminate’ Human Antibiotics in Chickens
Tyson Foods, the largest poultry producer in the U.S., announced Tuesday that it would strive to quit using human antibiotics in its chicken flocks by the end of September 2017. The company, based in Springdale, AR, stated that it has already stopped using all antibiotics in its 35 broiler hatcheries, requires a veterinarian’s prescription for…
Scientists Model Global Trends in Animal Antibiotic Use
Last spring, the World Health Organization stated that there are “major gaps” in surveillance and data sharing related to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant foodborne pathogens and their impact on both animals and humans. One gap to fill is the amount of antibiotics consumed by food-producing animals worldwide each year. Estimates so far have been simply…
McDonald’s Plans to Phase Out Chicken Fed Medically Important Antibiotics
Fast-food giant McDonald’s announced Wednesday that, within two years, all of the chicken served at its 14,000 U.S. restaurants will come from farms which raised the birds without medically important antibiotics. The move could help limit the overuse of antibiotics in agriculture which contributes to an increase in antibiotic-resistant bugs that sicken humans. “Our customers…
Pew Analysis Highlights Gaps in FDA’s Animal Antibiotics Policy
A year after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration released its Guidance for Industry #213, analysis by the Pew Charitable Trusts finds that gaps in the animal antibiotics policy could allow for some drugs to be used at the same rate. In order to reduce antibiotic misuse and address the increase in antibiotic-resistant bacteria, FDA…