Monday, August 31, 2015

Antibiotic-free chicken gaining support

In moves reminiscent of the animal welfare lobby against sow gestation crates, pressure is being applied to restaurant chains to buy only chicken raised without the help of antibiotics.

Subway and its main supplier in the United States are not commenting on reports that it will soon buy only chicken raised without antibiotics.

The Subway policy will start next year with antibiotics important to human medicine and progress in stages from there to all antibiotics.

 “We have been working toward the elimination of antibiotics, as are many other companies, which makes securing supply challenging for a chain our size,” a Subway spokeswoman is quoted as telling a reporter for the Nation’s Restaurant News.

 “We are working with our suppliers to find a cost-effective, quality solution for our franchisees and customers,” the publication quotes her.

Other than the short-term goal for its chicken supply, the spokeswoman said, “[W]e cannot provide a date when all the work will get done as the demand is somewhat higher than supply right now.”

McDonald’sPanera Bread and Wendy's have announced plans to eliminate antibiotics from their supply chains or have begun testing antibiotic-free meat for their menus.


As with sow gestation crates, what begins in the United States is sure to migrate to Canada.