McDonald’s USA Director of Quality Systems Ernie Meier will speak about the fast food chain’s vision for antimicrobial stewardship in food animals during the National Chicken Council’s Chicken Marketing Summit, July 10-12, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.
McDonald’s has committed to stop using antibiotics important to human medicine in chicken production for McDonald’s USA by March 2017.
Meier, who is responsible for making sure all poultry and meat proteins purchased meet McDonald’s specifications for food safety, animal welfare and sustainability, will discuss the fast food chain’s decision process in arriving at the chain’s antibiotics policy, and how McDonald’s works with poultry suppliers and communicates with consumers on the issue.
He will discuss the McDonald’s process for keeping the consumer’s perspective in mind and listening to customers and maintaining transparency about their food.
Meier will also address how McDonald’s partners with its supply chain to understand the intricacies of the decisions and the impact on suppliers as the chain’s policy is implemented.
In March 2015, McDonald’s released its “Global Vision for Antimicrobial Stewardship in Food Animals,” which strives to preserve antimicrobial effectiveness in the future through ethical practices today.
“In the U.S., we agree antibiotics have important benefits, but we believe that a few sensible changes can both maintain their most important benefits while helping to reduce their use overall,” the policy reads in part. “We are committing to use chicken that is not raised with antibiotics important to human medicine. McDonald’s has been working closely with farmers for years to reduce the use of antibiotics in our supply, thus we are able to commit today to stop using antibiotics important to human medicine in chicken production for McDonald’s USA by March 2017.”
The National Chicken Council’s Chicken Marketing Summit 2016 brings together a unique cross-section of poultry industry stakeholders to network, share, learn and dialogue together about the opportunities and challenges for chicken being driven by fast-changing consumer trends. This event is a must-attend event for key poultry professionals in the USA and Latin America. Presented by the National Chicken Council and WATT Global Media, the 41st annual Chicken Marketing Summit will be held July 10 – 12, 2016 at the Omni Hilton Head Oceanfront Resort in Hilton Head, South Carolina.
Visit http://www.wattglobalmedia.com/chickenmarketingsummit/ for more information.
