First it was eggs. Now it’s chickens.
McDonald’s Corp. has announced it will require welfare
standards for raising chickens for the products it markets, such as McNuggets.
Among its standards will be barn lighting and perches for
the birds.
The
fast-food chain said it will set targets for chickens’ health, including how
well they walk and whether they have broken wings, and use third-party audits
to ensure that farms comply.
McDonald’s
says it will work with suppliers and technology companies to develop monitoring
systems that automatically gather data on chickens’ behaviour on farms.
It
expects the new standards to take effect by 2024.
There
was no word about whether McDonald’s was pressured by animal welfare
organizations, such as the Humane Society of the United States which has been
successful pressuring retailers on housing standards for egg-laying hens and
for gestating sows.
There
has also been no word so far about McDonald’s intentions for Canadian
suppliers.
