Tyson Foods sets a 2017 deadline for cessation of human antibiotics use in broiler chicken

TYSON Foods Inc. is setting its sights on human antibiotics-free U.S. broiler chicken flocks by the end of September 2017.

The company, which will provide a yearly report on the progress of its objective beginning with its fiscal 2015 Sustainability Report, has stopped using antibiotics in its 35 broiler hatcheries. It has reduced the use of human antibiotics in treating broiler chickens by more than 80% since 2011 and now requires a veterinary prescription for antibiotics used on broiler farms.

The company’s objective to stop the use of human antibiotics on broiler farms is not expected to affect its financial performance. Its international business is also looking to take similar initiatives pertaining to antibiotic use in its global chicken operations but has yet to set a timeframe. Tyson has operations in China, India and Mexico, and sales offices in Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

On average Tyson Foods processes more than 41 million chickens each week (Photo courtesy of Tyson Foods Inc.)

Company president and CEO Donnie Smith acknowledges that antibiotic-resistant infections present a global health concern. “We’re confident our meat and poultry products are safe, but want to do our part to responsibly reduce human antibiotics on the farm so these medicines can continue working when they’re needed to treat illness. Given the progress we’ve already made reducing antibiotics in our broilers, we believe it’s realistic to shoot for zero by the end of our 2017 fiscal year. But we won’t jeopardize animal well-being just to get there. We’ll use the best available treatments to keep our chickens healthy, under veterinary supervision,” Mr Smith said.

Tyson Foods has likewise taken steps to reduce the use of human antibiotics on cattle, hog, and turkey farms. It is collaborating with independent farmers and others in the company’s beef, pork, and turkey supply chains, with the working groups slated to start meeting this summer to discuss potential solutions.

The company will also work with food industry, government, veterinary, public health, and academic communities. It plans to provide funding to speed up research on disease prevention and antibiotic alternatives on the farm. It works closely with its Animal Well-Being Advisory Panel composed of independent advisors.

Mr Smith said, “One of our core values is to serve as responsible stewards of animals – we will not let sick animals suffer. We believe it’s our responsibility to help drive action towards sustainable solutions to this challenge by working with our chicken, turkey, beef, and pork supply chains.”