SPRINGDALE (KFSM) - Tyson Foods announced on Tuesday (April 28) that it would phase out human antibiotics from its U.S. broiler chicken flocks by the end of September 2017.
"The company will report annually on its progress, beginning with its fiscal 2015 Sustainability Report," Tyson wrote in a news release.
Tyson said it has already stopped using antibiotics in its 35 broiler hatcheries and requires a veterinary prescription for antibiotics used on broiler farms. In addition to that, Tyson announced it reduced human antibiotics used to treat broiler chickens by more than 80 percent since 2011.
"Antibiotic resistant infections are a global health concern," said Donnie Smith, president and CEO of Tyson Foods. "We're confident our meat and poultry products are safe but want to do our part to responsibly reduce human antibiotics on the farm so these medicines can continue working when they're needed to treat illness."
He continued, "Given the progress we've already made reducing antibiotics in our broilers, we believe it's realistic to shoot for zero by the end of our 2017 fiscal year."
Smith said the announcement to phase out human antibiotics from its U.S. broiler chicken flocks by the end of September 2017 will not "materially affect the company's financial performance."