I had my bags packed and ready to go to deliver over 250,000 petition signatures with several consumer advocacy groups to Subway headquarters this week but all my plans came to an abrupt halt.
Subway just announced that they have committed to eliminating the use of antibiotics in ALL of their meat in the U.S. – and they also provided a timeline. It’s never felt so good to cancel my plans!
This is an enormous victory, given the sorry state of antibiotic usage on factory farms! According to reports, all of Subway’s meat will be antibiotic-free within 10 years (but most of it sooner).
Here’s what Subway’s timeline looks like, according to their press release:
- Chicken: Starting in March 2016 they’ll start serving antibiotic-free chicken, and will shift their entire chicken supply by the end of 2016.
- Turkey: Starting sometime in 2016, it’s expected to be completely antibiotic-free within 2-3 years.
- Pork: Within 6 years after the turkey is transitioned (so in about 10 years or 2025)
- Beef: Within 6 years after the turkey is transitioned (so in about 10 years or 2025)
Although this seems like it will take forever, this commitment is huge.
Subway’s decision is a major wake up call to other restaurant chains who are not responsibly sourcing meat and this will send shock waves through the entire meat industry. This has the power to transform how meat is raised in this country, and I can see these changes happening quicker when other companies follow suit.
Subway is the largest fast food chain in the world with about 27k restaurants in the U.S. Their suppliers will no longer be able to rely on antibiotics to produce bigger animals and to keep their animals from getting sick from the poor conditions that they are raised in.
Unlike McDonald’s who is just removing human-use antibiotics from their chicken (with no word on their pork or beef) while still allowing antibiotics to be used for disease prevention – Subway is stopping the use of all antibiotics in all of their meat. This means they will have to address the underlying factory farming conditions that keep these animals alive, albeit drugged up, in horrible conditions.
“We are excited to see the world’s largest restaurant chain take this game-changing step that will create a seismic shift in the industry. However, the devil is in the details. To do this right, Subway needs to work with its suppliers to improve management practices and change the unsanitary confinement conditions that cause animals to get sick in the first place,” said Kari Hamerschlag, senior program manager with Friends of the Earth. “Over time, we hope that Subway will shift its sourcing of meat away from confinement-based polluting factory farms toward more sustainable pasture-based livestock systems that are healthier for people, animals and the environment.”
This news comes on the heels of the announcement that we were headed to their headquarters to drop off petitions…
Over 36,000 of you signed and shared this petition that I started in August demanding that Subway eliminate the routine use of antibiotics from their entire supply chain. This petition was launched in conjunction with other petitions started by the consumer advocacy groups (U.S. PIRG, NRDC, Center for Food Safety, Friends of the Earth and others) that I’ve been working closely with for the last year. All of these petitions received a total of over 250,000 signatures!
When we sent letters to Subway, asking them for a clear antibiotics use policy and timeline, they bascially ignored us, refused to meet and didn’t show any signs that they were taking our requests seriously.
That’s why we made a plan to deliver all of the 250,000+ signed petitions personally to Subway Headquarters in Milford, CT this Thursday, October 22nd, 2015.
Subway clearly didn’t want this to happen.
Here’s the short timeline of events that led up to this change:
April 2015 – Sent initial letter to Subway
May 2015 – US PIRG launches campaign
June 23, 2015 – Sent another letter with over 60 groups signed, US PIRG launches petition
July 2015 – Friends of the Earth launches petition
August 24-26, 2015 – FoodBabe.com, NRDC, and The Center For Food Safety launch petitions and nationwide campaigns
August 28, 2015 – Media reports that Subway “supports the elimination of sub-theraputic antibiotics” with no further details
August 31, 2015 – Sent letter to Subway asking for clear antibiotics policy and timeline
October 8, 2015 – Sent letter to Subway to announce that we will deliver petitions to headquarters and request an in person meeting to discuss policy and timeline
October 11, 2015 – Announced trip to deliver petitions to Subway headquarters publicly on social media
October 20, 2015 – Subway makes commitment to stop selling meat that is raised with antibiotics and publishes timeline
This is more proof that signing petitions makes a difference!
It’s people like you that are willing to take the simple act of signing a petition and sharing it, that is truly changing the food landscape in this country. Just a few short months ago, Subway was silent on this issue and didn’t want to take a stand, and now everything has changed because of you making your voice heard!
This isn’t just a win for the Food Babe Army but it’s a win for ordinary citizens and activists everywhere that have been working tirelessly on this issue. No matter who you are – vegan, vegetarian, or organic foodie – you could be infected with antibiotic resistant bacteria, which kills about 23,000 Americans every year. Getting the overuse of antibiotics off of our farms is a crucial step in preventing thousands of illnesses caused by superbugs.
The power of consumer activism continues to amaze me.
I thank Subway on behalf of many for addressing this very critical public health issue. Can’t wait to see the other dominos start to fall. Who do you want to see next? Tell me in the comments!
Sending you all a virtual HIGH FIVE and lots of love!!!
Thank you for making history with me, once again!
Xo,
Vani
For reference, see recent news reports:
Hey Food Babe,
What about Subway in other countries, namely, Canada? Have they agreed to it?
Thanks.
Yes I agree, what about Canada?
Agree, this is was great win, go Food Babe Army! Disappointed this is not in Canada as well.
I agree with this statement. Canada is always slow when it comes to these type of things.
I would like to see chick fil a serve antibiotic free and stop using peanut oil
At least peanut oil isn’t GMO!
Not all Peanuts are free of chemicals.
True. But you can detoxify from chemicals. From GMO, not so much.
Thanks so much for your excellent work Vani!
It would be amazing to pressure food businesses like Subway and other major chains to publicize any GMO products in their food and also whether glyphosate is used to harvest their wheat products or to grow their vegetables. This would advance our ability to choose healthy food well beyond everything accomplished to date.
Hey, Congratulations on the Subway Win! That is fantastic news! The only missing piece is CANADA! please is there anyway to expand the efforts?
Thank You!
Congratulations! We always wondered just how valuable those online petitions are?
This is great news, but don’t they still have the chemicals in the bread that yoga mats are made of?
I understand that Carl’s Jr. had a anit-biotic free burger now. That is the only one I will buy, if I go there. They say that they are trying it out and it seems to be selling. So, its not all of their meat, but at least its a healthy option for us.
Did Carl’s Jr. do this because of you? ……Go Food Babe…!!!
I am 15 years old and have been doing research on food all my life. I have helped many people realize the truths in food and even in medications. I am currently making a site to keep myself organized. I am also starting to take professional online courses.
If I had to choose who to bring down next… Not many people are aware of KFC, Popeyes and Taco Bell serving Msg (possibly a lot more than Chinese restaurants) BUT! Dominos being the big one in pizza industry they can also be very unhealthy. Or how about Proplyene Glycol in Dunkin donuts? People talk about Starbucks but Dunkin donuts could be just as bad in all honesty! I sign whatever is put out to make the world a better place, so fair enough to whatever the cause. Thank you.
I also highly recommend Hidden Valley going down, they put pure forms of MSG in most of their ranch products, highly processed, there hardly is any healthy salad dressings in stores lol. Especially ranch.
Thanks for your interest in helping food become more healthy. Young people with an arsenal of knowledge such as yours are the future!
thanks for the info.
Keep up the good work!
Thank you for the Dunkin Donuts info. I imagined they were bad, but never had the information right in front of my face. I’ve been getting my kids a little munchkin here and there, but definitely will NEVER be doing that again!
@Janelle I don’t want to be the one that changes your mind on that haha. I kinda feel bad. Their ingrediants are on their website. So it’s your choice as a parent. *wink*
Ps… My mom got them for me too that one time 😀 lol
Cory, what is your website? I am so impressed and happy that you as a 15 year old are doing this work. It gives me a little more hope for our future.
Why are we not just boycotting these chains and forcing them to change due to a decrease in demand??
I actually have a concern about the movement. If an animal, let’s say a chicken, becomes sick before butcher and is not noticed by packing plants, could this sick chicken meat possibly make a human sick as well? Or worse yet create a carried bacteria in your body? Just curious if you had any information on that!
Thank you!
Could? – it happens all the time. Industry warning about chicken (wash it, thaw in refrigerator, etc.) are about this. Chicken isn’t processed individually. Hundreds or thousands of killed birds are dumped into the same tank of liquid, and one bird can infect many of or all of the others.
So if there are way more sick animals there would be way more meat contamination? Like if someone would let their little kid go to school very sick without antibiotics then that little kid would get the next one sick, and the next one sick creating a chain reaction. If antibiotics are terrible why do doctors use them? And there is a withdrawal period on all antibiotics, so technically any meat that any supplier is buying right now today is “Antibiotic Free.” Or else USDA would not approve it at packer plants. Just like if a child never receives vaccinations or medicines they could potentially become a very sick child. So now we would be at risk of eating very sick animal meat?
Antibiotics allow overcrowding. If an animal is sick despite antibiotics, then it has antibiotic-resistant infection. Eat enough of that, and when you are in the hospital, antibiotics will not work for the infection.
I don’t know whether the ‘bath’ is still the protocol for chickens.
In a recent year, chicken at supermarkets was inspected by one of the big government agencies, and major contamination was found – salmonella and other things, and I think a level of arsenic, and that was in most (90%?) of the meat. The report on that said to make sure you cook chicken thoroughly – no pink near the bones in a baked one, for example.
The difference in the flavor and texture of free range chickens who eat weeds and bugs is amazing. Ditto for the eggs they produce. It’s a different animal. They don’t get sick, either: I have had yard chickens at my ranch, all different kinds, and have yet to have even one sick one. And my chickens can be years old, too. The ones at the chicken houses are killed very young, and fed food that makes them put that weight on fast – too fast.
Companies simply need to lower their demand/need for meat because sooner or later they will be forced to. Before we know it, there will not be any room left for animals to graze.
Have you seen Cowspiracy? Meat consumption in general is a huge issue.
Without packing houses, which are a political animal (pun intended), there’s no shortage of room to grow beef. That is silly. I own 500 acres cattle could be put on, and have been on in the past.
Hey, it’s really not a problem! Just put the cattle on the land that is now being used to raise their food. They’ll fertilize the ground and make the soil richer. Grazing cattle are very good for soil.
That’s the way it was always done, and the way it’s still done all over the world except for civilized countries (hee-hee). Grass fed beef has a different texture and can be less tasty. The feed lots are hellholes and politicians protect them. Ranchers here like to take their grass feed beef, some of it organic if there was no pesticide and no GMO feed, and sell them in one paycheck to the feed lots. A shame.
Cattle are healthier when they eat weeds, by the way. They seek out the weeds that are good for them, that prevent sickness. And there are a few plants a rancher kills (hunts them and kills them individually) because they poison cattle or horses. (There’s one that will poison a wolf, too.)
I don’t like the texture of grass fed beef as well (too tough), but if they would feed just a little organic grain at the very end, it would fix that problem. Grain is used to fatten cattle, and as it turns out, beef fat is actually good for you. Cattle should not eat locoweed, and London rocket (Sisymbrium irio), a mustard plant, will poison horses. It might poison cattle, too. Humans can eat it. I have done so, but it’s too sharp to be pleasant to me. I would also be concerned about cattle eating jimsonweed (Datura meteloides, an old name, but I don’t know what the new one is) but I don’t know one way or the other about cattle. In humans, it’s hallucinogenic and toxic, though it is used topically for pain.
Hidden Valley Ranch Products. All highly processed, most containing MSG. It’s legitimately impossible to find a healthy salad dressing. Especially ranch!
Briannas brand is the best I have found so far: ).
Please put Red Robin on your list. It would be great to have an option there. Thank you for putting so much into this movement!!
Who says public pressure doesn’t work?? Thank you so much for all your hard work on our behalf!!
I agree with all the choices made here….!
What I think of first – not because I/we go there, but because so many economically-challenged families rely on them to feed their whole family inexpensively – is McDonalds [whole menu], Burger King, and Taco Bell.
I would also like to see them serve Non-GMO ingredients in other foods included on their menus – breads and vegetables especially.
I know everything takes time…and I applaud everyone’s efforts in this uphill, but Not un-winnable, battle – Go FB Army!
Thankyou, Thankyou, Thankyou for being our voice. Can you work on Canada now too. ..? I have stopped eating at subway and many other restaurants from all the new information I’m hearing about their food practises .
Doesn’t our FDA realize by now, that this a huge reason their are so many people using our over burdened healthcare system.
Let’s catch up to the other countries who have already done the homework for us.
This is fantastic news! Feels good to know that I can help make a difference and be a part of this growing movement to influence change with the foods that we consume and feed our children!
Next I think we need to put the pressure on the big 3 (McDonalds, Wendy’s and BK) and we also need to include a few other buger chains i.e. Five Guys, Hardees and Red Robin!!
Now you have to address the chicken feed corn and soy, which are both contaminated with Glyphosate. That situation is as bad or worse then the antibiotics.
Keep chipping’ away at this, Vani. As soon as some of these other chains start feeling the punch of lost business due to unhealthy practices, they will come around. Thanks for taking the lead on making healthy food available to the masses.
Strategy.
Think in reverse. Which chain has the most to gain a competitive edge over its competitors? Dominos would be the only organic pizza, and Dominos is inexpensive, with lots of customers.
Chick-fil-A already has gained organic interested consumers, so Popeye’s would be second.
I would consider Olive Garden because of its pretensions to purity and its celebrity fans.
Glad they are doing it what about Non Gmo products or organic? With Subway?
Now if we could get them to go organic and Non-GMO that’d be PERFECT!
Where to begin…well, I know you’ve tried with Chick-fil-A, but I think we need to pressure them. They are a Christian company and, as such, have a moral obligation not to hurt people. Their MSG is definitely harming people, as are the antibiotics.
We’ve got to make some headway with McDonalds. Once that domino falls, it will send the rest of them toppling.
Way to go, everyone, especially Vani! Food activism is near and dear to my heart, so I’m always happy to hear when our collective voices elicit change.
I have written to Chick-fil-A twice about the problem of Christians serving poisons to customers. I understand they’re working on the problem. I just wish they’d pedal a little faster.
Hi Vani, I am a member of your army! Thanks for all you do. This is way off topic but I would love to see someone (like you) address the issue of hair color chemicals which are being put into our water supply by hair salons, etc. Can you imagine how much water chemical contamination could come from hair chemicals. No one will touch this topic because everyone dyes their hair, now including men and young children. I have emailed Dr Oz and Oprah with no reply. Surely, there must be a way to clean up this industry. Would love to hear your thoughts on the subject. Bonnie F.
Buy a water distiller. You should see what you have been drinking. It is pure water without any poisons.
Jimmy Johns and Papa Johns next!
This is great and hope others will follow! But too bad it takes that long!!!
I agree with Bonnie F !! That would be great. Guess all we can do for now though is use things like Suzanne Somers hair care and products or Skinn products since they are made organic!
Be careful! Read the ingredients. Dr. Mercola and NaturalNews both make organic products. I have tried both, and they’re wonderful!
I know that antibiotics have been way overused, but I am wondering what the food industry will do to treat sick animals. And I hope that they will still continue rigorous testing of these animals to be sure that we don’t end up eating animals with illness. It’s kind of like the human vaccine dilemma. How many people are saved with vaccinations versus how many are lost due to problems with being vaccinated.
this is great , but just because they say they will , how do we know they really are doing it ?
Would like to know if chick_fil_a will be removing MSG in their food. If so is there a timeline? Thank you.
Are they also serving organic vegetables and cheeses?
Chick fil A! I love their food and so does everyone I know but it is loads with msg!
Vani, will Canada get on this bandwagon too,,, sooner than later, hopefully.
Who advocates for us here in Canada if not you Vani? 🙂
ty for all your hard work, it’s wonderful
Monsanto and Dow chemical free world would be nice.
Just curious… why will this take Subway YEARS to complete? I get that they are ‘trying’, but to me it feels like they are just trying to get their reputation back and shut us up for awhile.
I’m confused. I am assuming that most, if not all, of the readers here are concerned with their health. That being said, what is anybody doing eating at Subway to begin with? Or Chick-fil-a like I saw mentioned in one comment? I don’t care what Subway uses in their food, because antibiotics or not, the food is still absolute garbage. And then there is the Jared factor. How can anybody continue to support that company when its possible Subway execs knew of his proclivities for children? Geez people, eat some real food. Anybody who is celebrating this obviously has a long way to go to eating proper.
I want to see fewer antibiotics used on farm animals so that everyone will be healthier – and less susceptible to superbugs.
This campaign is for all of us – those that eat 100% whole organic foods and those that buy conventional and sometimes eat at places like Subway.
Taco Bells Mexican pizza tasted disgusting! It didn’t taste like any meat I’ve ever eaten before…. My body didn’t even digest it, but it was forced out in the bathroom into a pile of something without any form and Ive never seen anything like it …the beef tasted like a chemical was poured on it! Taco Bell’s beef should be investigated ASAP!
Taco Bells Mexican pizza tasted disgusting! It didn’t taste like any meat I’ve ever eaten before…. My body didn’t even digest it, but it was forced out in the bathroom into a pile of something without any form and Ive never seen anything like it …the beef tasted like a chemical was poured on it! Taco Bell’s beef should be investigated ASAP!
Time for Subway to get the GMOs out of their food. I like their food, but rarely eat there because I am certain I get GMO oil when I do. I think 10 years is a long time for them to take to get antibiotics out of their meat, though. Seriously! As for other companies, I’d like to see Wendy’s and Taco Bell clean up their food. Dave Thomas was a good man. I get that word from my husband who actually spent time with him. I doubt seriously if Thomas would approve of GMOs and other nasty stuff in Wendy’s food.
Congratulations. Now, if I do eat at Subway, I’ll feel better about it. Would love for you to take a second look at Chipolte. I fear once you’ve done one thing with a company they feel they’re done and won’t be looked at again. I’ve been hearing their aggressive commercials with podcasts such as Marc Maron and they are totally saying that everything is fresh. I know they’re better but I believe their claims are still over bloated and false. Hopefully I’m mistaken, but somehow I doubt it. Would also love for you to look at fried chicken at either Kentucky Fried or Popeyes.
Popeyes and KFC = msg for sure lol
Have you ever tried the vegetable soup at Steak and Shake. It’s loaded with sodium, so much so that on your first bite you will say OMG, this stuff is so salty. This is their only soup option, besides their chili. I love a hot bowl of soup but this is a chore to eat; I’m thinking, am I going to have a heart attack over this soup?
Good job FB! Where are we on the fight against Monsanto and the labeling issue? Let’s bring the evil monster to its knees!
Foodbabe can work with Natural News!!!
Great Job! The thing I would like the Food Babe Army to tackle next? My pet peeve.
Every restaurant I go to has the bottle of HFCS laden ketchup on the table! I don’t want to deprive the grandkids of their french fries but I also don’t want them eating that poison! Both Hunts and Heinz have non HFCS ketchup. It isn’t expensive. The restaurant industry needs to get with it! Maybe start with one chain and let the dominoes fall!
next milk, cheese and all the rest no more druged dairy !!!!!!!!!
Monsanto and Archer Daniels Midlands who make all of the nasty flavorings that kill$
Keep up the good work, Vani!
Next project???
I’m concerned about the DARK act, trying to be passed in the Senate. I believe we have the right to know what we are eating from the grocery store AND from restaurants.
Can you help?
Stop eating animals of all kinds they all feel pain stop they’re murder,! And 10 years we have to wait for them to stop poisoning us. What a joke!!!!!!¡!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi Food babe what about In n Out.. I love to eat there but I would like to know the condition of their Buns and their meat. They seem like they’re so healthy.. Could you please check them out and let us know thank you for all you do!
Vani, Thankyou for what you do but I don’t trust the companies that say they are going to change things and still don’t want to let us know what is in their products. How do we know they are really making changes? Starbucks pumpkin spice latte still tastes the same so how do we know they made changes? Why will it take 10 years for subway to have antibiotic free meat? Why is it so hard for all of these companies to have at least one organic product?
Maybe having one organic product will make the rest of their products seem inferior.
Panera would be a great addition to the antibiotic-free meat bandwagon.
Congratulations on the Subway success to you, Vani, and the whole Foodbabe Army! This is one more nail in the factory farm coffin!