McDonald’s announced a policy to reduce the overall use of antibiotics important to human health. This applies across 85 percent of its global beef supply chain. The company is going to monitor antibiotic use in its top 10 beef sourcing markets and set reduction targets for medically important antibiotic use by the end of 2020. It is the first burger chain to announce a reduction policy for all beef its restaurants sell.
Specifically, the company will:
- Partner with supplying beef producers in the top 10 sourcing markets to measure and understand current usage of antibiotics globally.
- By the end of 2020, establish reduction targets for medically important antibiotics.
- Beginning in 2022, report progress against antibiotic reduction targets in the top 10 sourcing markets.
Source: Drovers, December 11, 2018. Link. “The path for creating and implementing a global antibiotic use policy for beef is unprecedented,” says Dan Thomson, MS, PhD, DVM, College of Veterinary Medicine at Kansas State University. “I’ve been encouraged by the thoroughness with which McDonald’s has engaged diverse experts while creating this policy and the seriousness with which they take this important issue.”
INSIGHTS: We now know the path forward. This is powerful ammo to add to VFD discussions and general compliance conversations.