Four of America's 10 largest chicken producers are ceasing to feed chickens low doses of antibiotics.
The practice made the chickens grow faster and stay healthy, but health groups have for years argued that doing so was causing a public health crisis.
Antibiotic-Resistant Bacterial Infections
Low levels of antibiotics in animal feed have been linked to antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections in humans. Groups such as the World Health Organization and the American Medical Association have been campaigning to stop the practice for years.
40 Percent of U.S. Chickens
Now, Tyson Foods, Gold Kist, Perdue Farms and Foster Farms have all stopped using antibiotics for this purpose. Combined, the four companies produce almost 40 percent of the chickens raised for eating in the United States.
Not Permitted by McDonald's
Europe has already banned the technique, and McDonald's stopped using chickens grown under the regimen a month ago. Such moves by large-scale purchasers of chicken have likely been a major factor in ending the practice.
http://www.mercola.com/2006/feb/9/f...ns_are_easier_to_get_at_the_grocery_store.htm
The practice made the chickens grow faster and stay healthy, but health groups have for years argued that doing so was causing a public health crisis.
Antibiotic-Resistant Bacterial Infections
Low levels of antibiotics in animal feed have been linked to antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections in humans. Groups such as the World Health Organization and the American Medical Association have been campaigning to stop the practice for years.
40 Percent of U.S. Chickens
Now, Tyson Foods, Gold Kist, Perdue Farms and Foster Farms have all stopped using antibiotics for this purpose. Combined, the four companies produce almost 40 percent of the chickens raised for eating in the United States.
Not Permitted by McDonald's
Europe has already banned the technique, and McDonald's stopped using chickens grown under the regimen a month ago. Such moves by large-scale purchasers of chicken have likely been a major factor in ending the practice.
http://www.mercola.com/2006/feb/9/f...ns_are_easier_to_get_at_the_grocery_store.htm