McDonald's Corp. has issued a policy on reducing antibiotic residues in their beef supply chain. The Company will follow established science-based guidelines established by the World Health Organization and the World Organization for Animal Health.
The primary objective of the policy is to exclude administration of antibiotics critical to human health as stated, “Our policy does not permit the routine use of medically important antibiotics for the purposes of growth promotion or the habitual use of antibiotics for disease prevention. Reduction, were possible without adverse effects on animal health and welfare remains the intended outcome of our commitment.”
The policy governing antibiotic use will cover eighty percent of beef purchased by the company. Catherine McLaughlin, Chair of the Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture Alliance commented favorably on the McDonald’s Corp. policy that she characterized as “a solid commitment to protecting and improving the health and welfare of animals and is supportive of industry-wide data collection to continue refining antibiotic use across beef industries.”
The Natural Resources Defense Council generally opposed to all forms of intensive livestock production, was less enthusiastic following the McDonald’s release. The organization noted that the Company has not established a definitive date for implementation of the program to eliminate antibiotics. Lena Brook, Director of Food Campaigns at the Defense Council stated, “McDonald’s chose optics over substance with its new beef policy update. This is especially disappointing given that McDonald’s is the largest beef buyer in the world and that the health threat posed by antibiotic-resistant bacteria continues unabated.”
McDonald’s is a bellwether for the QSR segment and other chains will follow their lead. The problem will arise in enforcing compliance in imported beef products. This will require a substantial surveillance program with structured sample collection and assay for antibiotic residues.