Without these data it is unclear how Taco Bell will be able to set a baseline upon which to measure reductions. » Subway and the other 12 restaurant chains surveyed do not report taking any steps to require suppliers to monitor antibiotic use in their beef supplies.
Auditing and Transparency None of the companies surveyed use 3rd party verification consistently across their beef supplies to monitor responsible antibiotic use. Twelve restaurant chains failed to respond to survey requests. A company’s press statements or published antibiotic use policy are meaningful only if the company can verify progress in sourcing beef raised without the routine use of antibiotics. This requires that suppliers are regularly audited by a third party with trained inspectors who can confirm that the standards, practices and requirements are being met. Restaurant chains with antibiotic use policies for chicken routinely use third-party auditors to verify compliance with those policies. This practice is far less common when it comes to antibiotic use in beef. » Chipotle reports that its suppliers use a combination of internal and/or third-party auditing from a variety of certifiers, including but not limited to Global Animal Partnership.37 Chipotle also relies on supplier affidavits and random residue testing. Farms supplying beef to Chipotle are audited annually.
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» Panera does not have a third-party certification for its beef but reports that antibiotic usage is validated by the Australian government through product testing, the National Vendor Declaration, and periodic on-farm review. » McDonald’s is working with FAI Farms to collect antibiotic use data, but the program is still in the pilot phase and it is not clear what data is reported to McDonald’s beyond the amount of antibiotics administered to animals in its supply chains. These data are self-reported by producers and not audited by an independent third-party. » Wendy’s reports that it requests information on antibiotic use in its internal welfare audit of suppliers. Wendy’s also purchases cattle from suppliers that participate in industry certification programs such as Progressive Beef and Beef Quality Assurance. While these programs provide some support for Wendy’s policy claims, the authors did not consider these to be meaningful third-party verification programs. Also, the standards for these programs fall far short of what is needed to transform antibiotic use practices in beef production. » Eight of the top 20 restaurant chains returned surveys this year, indicating a commitment to transparency regarding their antibiotic use policies. The other 12 companies did not. Those leaving consumers in the dark include influential brands Starbucks, Burger King, and Domino’s.
