Ministry of Agriculture Responds to Fast-Growing Chicken Incident: Cracking Down on Antibiotic Abuse in Chicken Farming
The Ministry of Agriculture has dispatched an expert group to Shandong to investigate the “fast-growing chicken” incident. The relevant chicken farming enterprises and processing enterprises have now been shut down, and abuse of antibiotics and veterinary drugs is being strictly investigated.
This morning, at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office, Bi Meijia, Chief Economist of the Ministry of Agriculture, disclosed the above information.
Recently, some media reported that certain chicken farms in Shandong illegally used antibiotics and hormones to raise broiler chickens, supplying fast-food companies such as KFC.
In response, Bi Meijia, Chief Economist of the Ministry of Agriculture, said this morning that after the media exposure, the Ministry of Agriculture attached great importance to the matter and promptly instructed relevant departments in Shandong to investigate and handle it. An expert group was dispatched to Shandong that same day. The relevant chicken farming enterprises and processing enterprises, including some chicken farmers, have now been shut down, and the investigation is proceeding intensively.
Bi Meijia said that once the investigation results are available, they will be promptly announced to the public.
“Next, we will further strengthen supervision of the entire breeding industry, further raise the level of the breeding industry, and in particular increase the supervision and crackdown on chicken farming enterprises and chicken farmers that abuse antibiotics and veterinary drugs. Whenever one is discovered, one will be investigated and dealt with. Through our efforts at all levels, we will provide qualified products to our consumers.”
In addition, Bi Meijia said that the term “fast-growing chicken” is inappropriate. This breed's slaughter age is 42 days, and there are strict procedures.
It is understood that some farmers in Shandong, in the process of raising broiler chickens, either failed to strictly comply with the antibiotic withdrawal period regulations or added prohibited drugs. After some “fast-growing chickens” were handed over by the farmers to slaughterhouses of Shandong Liuhe Group, Yingtai Company, and others, they were slaughtered without inspection and quarantine, and some products flowed into the Shanghai logistics center of Yum! Brands. (Source: Legal Evening News, reporter He Qing)