USAID-funded project recognizes eight organizations for leadership in adopting antimicrobial use stewardship principles

Cargill, as the TRANSFORM lead, and the International Poultry Council are pleased to announce eight private-sector organizations have recognized the importance of responsible antimicrobial use and are endorsing the council’s antimicrobial use stewardship principles. Advanced within Transformational Strategies for Farm Output Risk Mitigation (TRANSFORM), a USAID-funded activity, the principles guide poultry farmer actions to avoid the need for use of antimicrobials, yet when needed, ensure they are used according to stewardship principles.  

These international leaders, representing over 15% percent of the global broiler production, include six associations and two companies, and together they represent a collective effort in reducing reliance on antimicrobials globally. These organizations are recognized as leaders for adopting the antimicrobial use stewardship principles and serve as an example for others that want to make a tangible impact on global health security.   

• Brazilian Association of Animal Protein (ABPA)
• Federación Nacional de Avicultores de Colombia (FENAVI)
• Poultry Federation of India (PFI)
• Unione Nazionale Filiere Agroalimentari Carni e Uova (UNAITALIA)
• Thai Broiler Processing Exporters Association (TBA)
• Vietnam Poultry Association (VIPA)
• DABACO Group, a Vietnam-based company
• Kenchic Limited, a Kenya-based company

“Critical actions for addressing antimicrobial use start at the farm,” said Robin Horel, IPC president. “We commend these organizations for acknowledging the importance of intentional antimicrobial use not only for the benefit of animals, but for the impact on human health by reducing the risk of resistant pathogens spreading around the world.”

By adopting the principles, the organizations are committed to encouraging or taking action that centers around four key points. First, taking a risk-based approach to understand specific use of antimicrobials. Second, adopting management practices to reduce the need for antimicrobials. Third, using antimicrobials only in compliance with national authorizations and finally, that antimicrobials critically important for human medicine should be used for therapeutic purposes only and under a supervising veterinarian’s diagnosis and oversight.

“We know that human health is linked with the health of animals,” said Annie Kneedler, Chief of Party for TRANSFORM. “When we take a systems-based approach to reconsidering our antibiotic use, we’re able to create an ecosystem where animal health improves, animal production increases and reliance on antibiotics decreases. These collective efforts contribute to broader global food security goals that can only be achieved by working together.”

This is the latest initiative from TRANSFORM, a project created to advance market-driven animal health solutions that increase global health security and increase access to safe and affordable animal-sourced nutrition. Led by a private-sector consortium that includes Cargill, Ausvet, Heifer International and IPC, TRANSFORM aims to drive lasting, systemic change through animal health data applications, antimicrobial use stewardship and on-farm practices that support animal health and economic sustainability.

For more information about TRANSFORM, visit www.cargill.com/sustainability/transform. 

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About International Poultry Council

The International Poultry Council is the unified voice of the global poultry sector that represents 86% of poultry meat exports and 73% of the volume of poultry meat production.  IPC works to strengthen communication between the industries of different countries, promotes a common global understanding of and confidence in poultry products, represents the global poultry sector with international organizations and agencies, shares science-based solutions and information across the whole poultry supply chain, promotes a balanced regulatory framework to support a fair global playing field and promotes, supports and encourages the sustainable development of animal production for global food security.

About Brazilian Association of Animal Protein (ABPA)

The mission of ABPA is to represent the Brazilian poultry and pork industry in national and international forums, ensuring product quality, food safety and sustainability, and promoting the integration of the entire production chain, with high technological standards, enabling profitability and consolidation in the domestic and foreign markets, as well as to promote Brazilian poultry and pork in these markets. The organization represents over 90% of broiler meat production and 95% of poultry meat exports.

About Federación Nacional de Avicultores de Colombia (FENAVI)

As a representative entity of the Colombian poultry sector, FENAVI exercises the union representation of Poultry Farmers with the purpose of promoting the development of the Poultry Industry, protecting, and defending the interests of Poultry Farmers, requesting the attention needs and requiring the protection of the state that Poultry production needs and manage the resources of the National Poultry Fund. The organization represents more than 70% of broiler chickens and 60% of layers.

About Poultry Federation of India

Poultry Federation of India (PFI) is the foremost national level Organization established in the year 1988, being the voice of the Indian Poultry Industry. PFI is constantly working and committed towards the protection, welfare and the overall growth and development of the poultry sector.  Poultry Federation of India (PFI) is the only national level organisation in poultry representing the poultry farmers.

About Unione Nazionale Filiere Agroalimentari Carni e Uova (UNAITALIA)

The Italian Union of Agrifood Chain of Meat and Eggs (UNAITALIA) is the Italian Association protecting and promoting Italian agri-food supply chains for poultry. This organization represents about 93% of the national poultry sector, 20% of pig meat and egg production and about 60% of rabbit meat production.

About Thai Broiler Processing Exporters Association (TBA)

Thai Broiler Processing Exporters Association has been established since 1991 to act as a regulating and service agency for the large number of Thai chicken and duck meat producers and exporters. The Thai Broiler Processing Exporters Association aims to promote the poultry industry, in particular the export market. Its activities are mainly to provide information needed for production and marketing, and to cooperate with the Thai government to resolve industry related problems and constraints. This organization represents 80% of Thai broiler production.

About Vietnam Poultry Association (VIPA)

VIPA serves as a key communication channel for Vietnams’ poultry industry that produces annually 554 million poultry, 18.5 billion eggs, and 1.9 billion tons of poultry meat. This organization represents 65% of poultry in Vietnam.

About DABACO Group – a Vietnam based company

Based in Vietnam, DABACO is one of the largest broiler companies and the largest layer company in Vietnam. It includes 60 companies that operate six animal feed factories and manage 60,000 pigs and 700,000 chickens. DABACO’s core philosophy is 3F: Feed-Farm-Food.

About Kenchic Limited – a Kenya based company

Established in 1984, Kenchic’s purpose is to improve Kenyan livelihoods by providing healthy and affordable chicken. The company is passionate about contributing to the improvement of food security through a reliable source of protein and nutrition. At their core, one of Kenchic’s pillars is to focus on small-scale farmer production, impacting positively on poverty by giving farmers the opportunity for a sustainable source of income. Over the years, the company has grown to become the largest integrated poultry operation in East and Central Africa. Their operations have expanded from dealing in day-old chicks, to processed chicken meat, and further processed chicken products. Kenchic breeds and supplies high-quality day-old chicks to thousands of poultry farmers in the region, in addition to breeding and processing the highest quality chicken meat for consumption. The company places the highest priority on the birds they farm ensuring their farming practices conform not only to Kenyan standards but also to the European Union and World Health Organisation requirements. Kenchic is one of East Africa’s leading consumer brands.