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Consumer Group Calls On McDonald's: Help Save Antibiotics

Albuquerque, NM — The state consumer group New Mexico PIRG launched a national campaign today asking McDonald’s to stop the purchase of meat raised with antibiotics. As one of the largest purchasers of beef, pork and chicken in the United States, such a commitment from McDonald’s would help tackle the growing public health crisis of antibiotic resistance. 

“People are becoming increasingly aware of the growing public health crisis surrounding antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and the role that factory farms play in overusing antibiotics,” said Jacob Peters, Campaign Coordinator of NMPIRG’s Stop Antibiotics Overuse Campaign. “If McDonald’s switched to antibiotic-free meat for Big Macs, Chicken McNuggets, and the rest of their menu, it would benefit everyone – not just McDonald’s consumers.”

At the campaign launch in front of a McDonald’s near the UNM Central Campus, NMPIRG staff and volunteers distributed guides for consumers highlighting fast and casual food restaurants in the immediate area and across the state that have made commitments to serve meat raised without antibiotics. For instance, Chick-fil-A has made a commitment to only purchase chicken raised without antibiotics within five years. Local and regional restaurants, such as Flying Star Café and the Grove Café and Market, also only sell meat raised without antibiotics.  

“If McDonald’s were to make that commitment and serve meat raised without antibiotics, I would truly be lovin’ it,” said Albuquerque City Council President Rey Garduño. 

While McDonald's instituted a policy in 2003 to address the use of antibiotics in their meat supply, the policy allows for continued use of antibiotics to prevent disease caused by unhealthy production practices and does not apply to all suppliers and meats sold by the restaurant.

“McDonald's should hear what their customers want – meat raised without antibiotics,” said UNM freshman Jonathan Mosteller “Consumers, especially Millennials, want to preserve these drugs for generations to come.”

Due to overuse, medical experts warn that antibiotics could stop working – with grave consequences for public health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, each year at least two million Americans become infected with bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics and at least 23,000 people die as a direct result of these infections. Despite this threat to public health, many large factory farms routinely give antibiotics to healthy livestock in order to increase growth and prevent disease, often caused by unhealthy production practices. Up to 70 percent of all antibiotics sold in the United States are for use on livestock and poultry.  

One of the world’s largest fast food chains in the world, McDonald’s sells more than one billion pounds of beef each year. If McDonald’s required its suppliers to stop raising meat with antibiotics, large volumes of antibiotics would no longer be overused. In addition, should a restaurant chain the size of McDonald’s make this commitment, it would send a strong signal to meat producers that this is the way of the future.

“It’s time for the global leader in selling hamburgers to step up and be a global leader in stopping the overuse of antibiotics,” said Peters.

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NMPIRG Education Fund conducts research and public education on behalf of consumers and the public interest. Our research, analysis, reports and outreach serve as counterweights to the influence of powerful special interests that threaten our health, safety or well-being.  Find out more at nmpirgedfund.org

Fast serve restaurants in Albuquerque that serve meat raised without antibiotics:

·         Yasmine’s Café

·         Flying Star Café

·         The Grove Café

·         Chipotle (chicken, pork)

·         Chick-fil-A (within five years)

·         Carl’s Jr (All-natural burger)

·         Jason’s Deli

·         Red Robin

Panera (Chicken, roasted turkey sausage, ham)

In Santa Fe: Shake Foundation