The Chain Reaction Campaign Targeting Fast Food Chains to Reduce Antibiotic Use in Meat and Poultry Production

Why We Began a Corporate Campaign CDC estimates that at least 23,000 people annually are already dying from antibiotic-resistant infections as a result of antibiotic overuse in both humans and animals 70% of medically important antibiotics are used not on sick people, but on healthy animals FDA has tried and failed since 1978 to end this practice

Step 1: Groups find partners

Step 2: We Chose a Target Fast food chains are big purchasers of meat and poultry At least two of the top 25 feature no-antibiotics chicken, pork and beef

Step 3: Focus Campaign on One Company

Tools include….. Letters Email Site events Initiate report on top 25 fast food chains; send survey to company on policies and practices Meet with company

Victory! McDonalds issued the following statement in March, 2015: In the US, we agree antibiotics have important benefits, but we believe that a few sensible changes can both maintain their most important benefits while helping to reduce their use overall. We are committing to use chicken that is not raised with antibiotics important to human medicine. McDonald’s has been working closely with farmers for years to reduce the use of antibiotics in our supply, thus we are able to commit today to stop using antibiotics important to human medicine in chicken production for McDonald’s USA by March 2017

Announcement generates media

Step 4: Prepare Industry Report

Report Scorecard Rates Companies

Step 5: Publicize Scorecard, fall 2015

Step 6: Chose New Target Company

Same techniques….

Another victory, and again, great media

Step 7: Issue Second Annual Report, fall 2016

New Scorecard Shows Progress

New Target, same techniques

plus a new tool, shareholder resolution, leads to another victory

Are we done? Major change in chicken production Very little change in pork and beef production Stay tuned, Chain Reaction 3 in process.

Elements of a successful campaign You (and others) care deeply about the issue Target must be vulnerable to marketplace pressure (not all companies are) Good allies PR capacity Gravitas Street cred Focus Luck