New York’s University of Rochester is moving toward serving only chicken raised without antibiotics at its campus facilities.
According to a university press release, all chicken served at its River Campus and Eastman School of Music will be from birds raised without antibiotics by June. The University of Rochester has been working with foodservice company Aramark, as well as with local suppliers to help make the transition without additional costs to students or customers.
Presently, all of the dining center and food court salad bars and grill stations on the River and Eastman campuses serve chicken raised without antibiotics, and the university is planning to continue to work with vendors to bring antibiotic-free chicken options to all locations by the June deadline. This move is expected to involve about 278 tons of chicken annually.
Additionally, the dining services at the Medical Center—Café 601, patient dining, and catering departments—have plans to switch to all antibiotic-free chicken before the end of 2016. The Metro Deli Café, scheduled to open by early March in the Medical Center, will also serve antibiotic-free product.
“The move to antibiotic-free chicken complements the university’s dedication to sustainability, as well as to purchasing and operating practices that are ecologically sound, socially just and economically viable,” said Cam Schauf, director of Campus Dining Services and Auxiliary Operations.
