Source: Rita Jane Gabbett, MEATINGPLACE, 6/1/15


Foster Farms announced it is introducing two new product lines, Foster Farms Certified Organic and Foster Farms Simply Raised antibiotic-free chicken at major retailers throughout the West.
The company said it has tripled its production of chicken raised without any antibiotics since 2014. Foster Farms has already eliminated antibiotics that are critical to human medicine in all of its chicken production companywide and is working to eliminate the use of all human antibiotics.

Its practices will be independently audited to ensure compliance with the stated objectives of its antibiotic stewardship policy. On Tuesday, company executives will join national leaders in human and animal health and federal government representatives at the White House for the One Health Forum on Antibiotic Stewardship.

Foster Farms has steadily reduced antibiotic use companywide while adjusting its production and capital investment strategy to increase the number of ranches producing chicken raised without antibiotics.
"Our company is committed to responsible growing practices that help preserve the effectiveness of antibiotics for human health and medicine,” said Ron Foster, CEO and President of Foster Farms. “We take a holistic approach to antibiotic stewardship. Our goal has been three-fold: reduce the need for medical treatment by advancing bird health; choose animal-only antibiotics when needed for conventional flocks; and increase antibiotic-free production.”
Key aspects of the policy include:

• Foster Farms has eliminated the use of antibiotics critical to human medicine companywide and is working toward a goal of eliminating the use of all antibiotics that are used in human medicine, except in those instances where the clinical health of a flock is at risk.
• Foster Farms does not use antibiotics at any of its hatcheries.
• Antibiotics are not used for growth promotion or improved feed efficiency.
• When disease treatment is necessary, medical care will be overseen by a licensed veterinarian.
• Foster Farms’ antibiotic practices will be independently audited to ensure compliance with the stated objectives of the antibiotic stewardship policy.

The announcement follows recent ones from Walmart, Tyson Foods and Pilgrim’s Pride, outlining plans and seting goals for eliminating antibiotics used in human medicine from their meat products. Perdue Farms has for some time been reducing its use of antibiotics.  

Saying it will not compromise its moral obligation to care for sick animals, Sanderson Farms, however, has pledged to continue administering to its chickens antibiotics that are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

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