July 20, 2017

Canadian chicken production has successfully eliminated Category I antibiotics for disease prevention, and the timelines to boost its strategy to eliminate the preventive use of antimicrobials of human importance has been established, according to Chicken Farmers of Canada (CFC).

The antimicrobial use (AMU) strategy eliminates the preventive use of Category II antimicrobials by the end of 2018, and sets a goal to eliminate the preventive use of Category III antibiotics by the end of 2020.

The AMU strategy is consistent with the Canadian government's Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance and Use.

"Chicken Farmers of Canada has been a leader in antimicrobial stewardship, and this strategy provides continued confidence to consumers, customers and to governments", said CFC chair Benoît Fontaine.

"This strategy provides a sustainable means of meeting consumer expectations, while maintaining the ability for farmers to protect the health and wellbeing of their birds", he added.

CFC's policy will maintain the use of ionophores (antimicrobials not used in human medicine) along with antibiotics for therapeutic purposes to maintain the health and welfare of birds.

CFC assured consumers that Canadian chicken is free of antibiotic residues. "Canada has strict regulations with respect to antibiotic use and withdrawal times to ensure that chicken reaching the marketplace does not contain residues, which is monitored by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency".