Chick-fil-A Assures High Bird Welfare in Antibiotic Removal

US - US fast food chain Chick-fil-A has issued assurances that birds raised and used for its products are kept and reared to the strictest welfare standards.
calendar icon 18 February 2014
clock icon 3 minute read

The assurances follow the chains recent declaration that it is to serve chicken raised without antibiotics in all Chick-fil-A restaurants, nationwide, within five years.

In moving towards rearing birds using no antibiotics at all the fast food chain said: “We are collaborating with national and regional poultry suppliers to build a supply chain based on chickens raised with no antibiotics.

“It is asking suppliers to work with the USDA to verify that antibiotics are never administered from the hatchery to the processing plant.

“Changes like these take time, but the company believes this is the next step in honouring its heritage and continued commitment to service and quality.”

Now Chick-fil-A has said that this will not mean that birds that fall sick will not be treated with antibiotics, but those birds will not be part of the Chick-fil-A supply chain.

“Chickens that are sick and require antibiotics will be removed from Chick-fil-A's dedicated poultry supply, then given the necessary medical treatment, said Tiffany Greenway for Chick-fil-A.

“Also, just to be clear: Chick-fil-A has never used antibiotics for growth promotion.

“Even so, this move represents the next step by ensuring no antibiotics are administered at any point, from the hatchery to the processing plant.”

She added: “We wholeheartedly support the humane treatment of animals. We partner with only the best suppliers in the US, and they must comply with rigorous animal welfare requirements created and endorsed by the most respected industry groups and associations.”

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