Reuters — Iowa Governor Terry Branstad declared a state of emergency on Friday due to a rapidly expanding avian flu outbreak. State agriculture officials on Friday announced four more poultry farms — a million-bird commercial egg laying operation and three turkey farms — have initially tested positive for an H5 strain of the virus. “While […] Read more
Iowa declares state of emergency over avian flu
Tyson to end use of human antibiotics in U.S. chickens by 2017
Chicago | Reuters –– Tyson Foods, the largest U.S. poultry producer, plans to eliminate use of human antibiotics in its chicken flocks by September 2017, one of the most aggressive timetables yet set by an American poultry company. The Arkansas-based chicken and meat company also said Tuesday it is working on ways to curtail such […] Read more
After first lab-grown burger, test-tube chicken is next on menu
Tel Aviv/Frankfurt | Reuters — Two years after scientists cooked up the first test-tube beef burger, researchers in Israel are working on an even trickier recipe: the world’s first lab-grown chicken. Professor Amit Gefen, a bioengineer at Tel Aviv University, has begun a year-long feasibility study into manufacturing chicken in a lab, funded by a […] Read more
Costco working to end use of human antibiotics in chicken
Chicago | Reuters — Costco Wholesale Corp. is working toward eliminating the sale of chicken and meat from other animals raised with antibiotics that are vital to fighting human infections, senior executives at the third-largest U.S. retailer told Reuters on Thursday. The ongoing push by Costco, which sells 80 million rotisserie chickens a year, highlights […] Read more
McDonald’s to ‘evaluate’ antibiotic use in Canadian chicken
The Canadian arm of fast-food giant McDonald’s isn’t yet moving to follow its U.S. counterpart’s plans to phase out use of certain antibiotics on chickens in its supply chain. The U.S. chain announced Wednesday it would move, over the next two years, to only purchase chicken “raised without antibiotics that are important to human medicine.” […] Read more
Killers sought in deaths of 300,000 chickens in South Carolina
Charleston | Reuters –– Revenge may be the motive for the killings in South Carolina of more than 300,000 commercial chickens worth about $1.7 million over the past two weeks, authorities said Monday. Birds have been found dead of unnatural causes in 16 chicken houses at six farms that grow chickens for Pilgrim’s Pride Corp., […] Read more
St. John’s chicken packer back in business
Newfoundland chicken processor Country Ribbon Inc. has resumed operations after a brief suspension of its federal operating license. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) said Friday it had suspended the St. John’s company’s license over what the agency called failure to implement “corrective measures required by regulation” to ensure meat safety. [Related story] The company […] Read more
St. John’s chicken plant’s federal license pulled
A St. John’s, N.L. chicken slaughter and processing plant has been handed a suspension over the consistency of its food safety systems. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency said Friday it has suspended the operating license for Country Ribbon Inc., which markets fresh and frozen chicken, chicken parts, appetizers and deli meats under the Country Ribbon, […] Read more
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