McDonald's is announcing a policy to reduce the overall use of antibiotics important to human health, as defined by the World Health Organization, which applies across 85% of its global beef supply chain. According to the WHO, antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to global health, food security, and development today. With the new policy, McDonald's says it is is doing its part to help preserve the effectiveness of antibiotics for human and animal health in the future. "McDonald's understands that reducing the overall use of medically important antibiotics in beef is complex and cannot be accomplished overnight. Additionally, there is limited antibiotic usage data available across the global beef industry. That is why, in collaboration with our suppliers and beef producers, we are taking a strategic and phased approach: First, McDonald's is partnering with supplying beef producers in our top 10 beef sourcing markets to measure and understand current usage of antibiotics across a diverse, global supply chain; By the end of 2020, based on what we have learned, we will establish reduction targets for medically important antibiotics for these markets; and Starting in 2022 - we will be reporting progress against antibiotic reduction targets across our top 10 beef sourcing markets." McDonald's has been developing this policy over the past year and a half, while consulting a cross-section of expert stakeholders from veterinarians, to public health leaders, to the beef producers responsible for taking care of the health of animals within the supply chain every day.
