Statements on Antibiotic Use by Major Poultry Producers

[Guest guest]

Statements on Antibiotic Use by Major Poultry Producers

Compiled by Keep Antibiotics Working as of December 3, 2002

 

 

Tyson Foods

Springdale, AR

Industry Ranking: #1

“Tyson Foods, a leader among the poultry industry in reducing antibiotic use in

its chickens, has chosen to discontinue its previously minimal use of the

fluoroquinolone class of antibiotics in the production of its broiler

chickens.... According to Dr. Patrick Pilkington, Tyson Vice President of Live

Production Services, ‘This move is part of Tyson’s ongoing effort, which began

over five years ago, to decrease antibiotic use in its flocks.... Continued

improvements in animal husbandry and increased bio-security measures have

enabled us to reduce the use of antibiotics in recent years.’”

Tyson news release, Feb. 19, 2002

“Tyson says it has cut back on antibiotics that are similar to those used on

humans, and now uses only two when a flock is at risk of disease.”

“Poultry Industry Quietly Cuts Back on Antibiotic Use,” New York Times,

Feb. 10, 2002

 

Gold Kist Inc

Atlanta, GA

Industry ranking: #2

“Gold Kist Inc., the nation’s second largest chicken processor, affirmed today

that it will continue its policy of not using antibiotics of human health

significance at non-therapeutic levels for its broiler chickens.”

Gold Kist news release, May 17, 2002

“Gold Kist Inc.,.... today announced that it had discontinued its rare use of

fluoroquinolone antibiotics in the production of broiler chickens. President and

Chief Executive Officer John Bekkers said '....we are taking this action to

assure our customers and consumers that Gold Kist Farms brand chicken is free of

fluoroquinolones.’”

Gold Kist news release, Feb. 21, 2002

 

ConAgra Poultry

Duluth, GA

Industry ranking: #4

“ConAgra Poultry Company does not use any antibiotics for growth promotion or

prophylactic purposes at any location. Some antibiotics may be used when

absolutely necessary to treat systemic conditions in chickens, and never used on

healthy flocks. ConAgra Poultry Company follows the FDA’s guidelines on feed and

water withdrawal. ConAgra Poultry does not use fluoroquinolones. Excellent

breeding and rearing practices have made the need for antibiotic usage minimal.”

Company policy statement, Mar. 7, 2002

 

Perdue Farms

Salisbury, MD

Industry ranking: #5

“Currently we are not using medically important antibiotics nontherapeutically

that would be used in human medicine like penicillin, tetracycline and

sulfonamides.... The primary reason is that we want to make absolutely sure if

there is any question that we are in no way, shape or form contributing to

antibiotic resistance in humans. We want to make sure there is no overuse.”

Hank Engster, Vice President, Technical Services, Perdue Farms

“Poultry Industry Quietly Cuts Back on Antibiotic Use,” New York Times,

Feb. 10, 2002

“Perdue Incorporated has announced it will no longer use Fluoroquinolone

antibiotics to treat any of its chicken or turkey flocks. The zero-tolerance

policy takes effect immediately throughout the company and will be applicable to

all breeder, broiler, Cornish, OVEN STUFFER® roaster and turkey flocks. Perdue

believes it is the only major poultry company to totally eliminate the use of

Fluoroquinolones.”

Perdue press release, Feb. 26, 2002

Wayne Farms

Gainesville, GA

Industry ranking: #6

“We do not use antibiotics of human health significance at sub-therapeutic

levels, such as tetracyclines, penicillin, and sulfonamides in our poultry

feeds. Less than 1% of our broilers receive therapeutic doses of antibiotics,

and only for the treatment of acute disease.”

Company policy statement, Mar. 7, 2002

 

Foster Farms

Livingston, CA

Industry ranking: #9

“Foster Farms says it uses no antibiotics at all, except to treat sick birds....

Foster Farms does not use fluoroquinolones.”

“Poultry Industry Quietly Cuts Back on Antibiotic Use,” New York Times,

Feb. 10, 2002

 

Claxton

Claxton, GA

Industry ranking: #19

“Our company has for sometime had a policy of only using antibiotics for the

treatment of diagnosed illness within broiler flocks. However, as a result of

your communication I have charged our line production department to make a

complete review of our antibiotic use to insure that our policies are consistent

with the Tyson and Perdue pledge. After this review I will notify you and your

organization if our policy for antibiotic use does not go at least as far as

Perdue and Tyson.”

Jerry Lane, CEO, Company correspondence to Keep Antibiotics Working, Feb.

13, 2002

 

Bell & Evans

Fredericksburg, VA

“For years our Bell & Evans chickens have been raised without antibiotics,

animal byproducts or animal fats. Unlike some others, our company strives to

raise ALL of our chickens without the use of antibiotics and to demanding humane

standards. Bell & Evans has had a Preharvest HACCP plan in place to certify this

industry-leading performance.”

Bruno S. Schmalhofer, CEO, Letter to the New York Times, Feb. 14, 2002

Murray’s Chickens

S. Fallsburg, NY

“Murray's 'All Natural Chickens' are raised without use of antibiotics, growth

stimulants, pesticides, and hormones.”

Company website, http://murrayschicken.com

 

 

For more information, contact Michael Khoo at the Union of Concerned Scientists:

202-223-6133 or visit http://www.keepantibioticsworking.com.

Keep Antibiotics Working is a coalition of health, consumer, agricultural,

environmental and other advocacy groups with more than nine million members

dedicated to eliminating a major cause of antibiotic resistance—the

inappropriate use of antibiotics in farm animals.

 

The company statements in this document have not been independently verified.

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

JoAnn,

 

Thank you for posting this information. For those of us who have

been damaged by fluoroquinolone antibiotics, eating poultry that's

been raised on feed and water treated with these antibiotics can

bring about horrible reactions much like taking the drug all over

again. On the fluoroquinolones victims forum, the mantra has

been " buy organic poultry " for as long as I have been there. It

would be nice not to have to worry about " drugged " food!

 

Jen