McDonald's Corp.

McDonald's Corp., Oak Brook, Ill., is asking its meat suppliers to stop the use of growth-promoting antibiotics in their animals. The fast-food company has released its Global Policy on Antibiotics Use in Food Animals, which requires suppliers to certify annually that they are eliminating the use of these antibiotics. The policy prohibits direct suppliers from using medically important antibiotics as growth promoters in food animals after 2004. The policy also requires suppliers to keep records of antibiotic use and offers incentives to certain suppliers to encourage compliance. McDonald's suppliers include Cargill Inc. and Tyson Foods Inc., which is its exclusive supplier of poultry.