PUBLIC HEALTHMcDonald's Sets Targets for Reducing Antibiotics in Its Beef Supply
Following criticism that it was backtracking on a commitment to reduce the use of medically important antibiotics in its beef supply chain, fast-food giant McDonald’s has set targets for responsible antibiotic use in the countries that supply most of its beef.
Following criticism that it was backtracking on a commitment to reduce the use of medically important antibiotics in its beef supply chain, fast-food giant McDonald’s has set targets for responsible antibiotic use in the countries that supply most of its beef.
The company says that, after conducting pilot tests to collect data on antibiotic use at commercial feedlots and working with subject-matter experts, it has established market-specific targets for responsible use of antibiotics by producers in the 10 countries that represent more than 80% of its beef supply chain. According to the policy, the targets are aligned with World Health Organization (WHO) and World Organization for Animal Health standards for responsible antibiotic use.
“Responsible antibiotic use is a critical component of our global commitment to improving the health and welfare of animals in our supply chain,” the company says in the updated policy.
Delayed Targets
The update is the latest step in a journey that began in December 2018, when McDonald’s announced that it would measure medically important antibiotic use and, by the end of 2020, establish reduction targets for beef producers in the countries that supply the bulk of its beef. That announcement was widely praised by antibiotic stewardship, food safety, and animal health advocates, who suggested that the move could help spur a shift within the beef industry toward using fewer antibiotics.
Globally, an estimated 73% of medically important antibiotics—those antibiotics that are also used in human medicine—are sold for use in food-producing animals, and the beef and dairy cattle industry is among the biggest users. In the United States, according to the most recent sales report from the Food and Drug Administration, cattle accounted for 41% of domestic antibiotic sales for food-producing animals.
Stewardship advocates and public health experts, along with the WHO, warn that widespread use of medically important antibiotics in food-producing animals, particularly the use of antibiotics for growth promotion and routine disease prevention, is contributing to rising rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). They also argue that antibiotics are used to cover for practices that increase the risk of infection and endanger animal health.
