McDonalds Carries a Big Stick

McDonalds .carries a big stick It is interesting to study how a large corporation can directly impact the livelihood of those in agriculture. McDonald's, beloved by our apples growers for including conveniently fresh packaged NW apples on their menu that have help to boost apple sales might not be experiencing the same popularity within the meat industry. They have made a move that will please environmentalists and animal rights groups by resolving to reduce and eventually eliminate human growth antibiotics in meats. When a company with the magnitude of McDonalds makes a change it doesn't ripple through the industry, it roars, in this case changing the way chickens are raised for market. The three big players; Tyson, Perdue Farms and Foster Farms that supply the fast food chain also supply approximately a third of the chickens that we consume in America. Advocacy groups have lobbied McDonalds to use its clout to change the industry. Chicken is the first meat that will be free from human antibiotics with pork and beef to follow. I'm Susan Allen and this is Food Forethought. Source: NYT Wednesday January 12