How timely. Just last night we were talking about the economic clout of Macdonald’s that has helped shape our modern industrial food reality. Here is an example of how that economic power can be part of beneficial change. Consumer and public health lobby groups have been raising the concern of rampant antibiotic use in factory farms (remember the statistic that suggests 80% of antibiotics sold in the US are used prophylactically for food animals!). Now Macdonald’s has announced that they will move towards purchasing only antibiotic-free chicken. In a bid to compete, other major industry players are pressured to follow suit. Of course, the motivations are not 100% altruistic; Macdonald’s is trying to woo young, affluent diners concerned about these issues (and their stock price today saw a bump up as a result already!), but this kind of change will have major consequences in our industrial food system. We have to keep up the fight! This Reuter’s news article offers a nice summary.
For more information about the use and consequences of using antibiotics in the commercial chicken industry, check out this National Geographic article from the March 2015 issue. Their infographic does a great job of summarizing key points.