Walmart U.S. and Sam’s Club U.S. announced an updated position on animal welfare and responsible use of antibiotics in farm animals, today. The company joins a growing list of companies that are updating sourcing requirements to ensure sustainable supply chains in response to customers’ feedback, according to the companies’ media statements.

In revisions of Walmart’s animal welfare position, the company supports the globally recognized Farm Animal Welfare Council’s Five Freedoms. Walmart is also calling on its suppliers to:

A closer look at Walmart’s policy on fresh pork supply chain, the company in 2014 launched a tracking and audit program for pork suppliers with records subject to review upon request. This program also includes video monitoring on hog farms. At the same time, Walmart made it mandatory that the National Pork Board’s Pork Quality Assurance Plus Program requirements to be followed by all suppliers.

Meanwhile, the real reason for the May 22 announcement was to share the company’s policy on responsible use of antibiotics. The supplier guideline on antibiotic use in farm animals is consistent with the White House's national plan to curb antibiotic resistance and duplicates provisions in the Food and Drug Administration’s guidance 209 and 213. The one twist to the antibiotic use supplier policy is the requirement for suppliers to publicly report antibiotic use on annual basis.

Walmart is asking suppliers to:

The guidelines apply to all suppliers for Walmart and Sam’s Club.

Smithfield support policy change

Smithfield Foods said today that it supports Walmart in its release of the company's new animal welfare and antibiotics positions. Smithfield is already compliant with the newly announced policies on its company-owned farms and encourages the rest of the industry to develop programs consistent with these guidelines.

Smithfield ceased using human-grade antibiotics for growth promotion in its pigs on company-owned and contract farms more than two years ago. This move voluntarily aligned Smithfield with the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) guidelines 209 and 213 years ahead of schedule.

"We understand that potential antibiotic resistance is a public health concern, and that's why we are leading the pork industry in ensuring the responsible use of antibiotics within our operations," said C. Larry Pope, Smithfield's president and chief executive officer.

In addition, back in 2007 Smithfield Foods was the first in its industry to announce that it would transition pregnant sows to group housing systems on its company-owned operations in the U.S. The company reported that as of December 2014, more than 71%—or seven out of every 10—of its pregnant sows on company-owned farms had been transitioned to group housing. The project should be completed by 2017.

"We've accepted our role as the world's largest pork producer and have led the charge by addressing challenging issues facing the industry while improving our sustainability program and processes to meet the ever-changing needs and demands of our customers and consumers," Pope said.

In citing Smithfield's leadership position, Pope listed:

NPPC responds to Walmarts announcement

The National Pork Producers Council applauds Walmart’s commitment, announced May 22, to sustainable and responsible farming, which America’s pork producers make every day. By using antibiotics responsibly and providing humane and compassionate care for their animals, pork producers ensure animal health and well-being and a safe, wholesome food supply. Walmart’s recognition of that proves that America’s farmers, not extreme animal activist groups, should be setting food policy.

The U.S. pork industry’s long-standing training and certification programs have worked to ensure that farmers and veterinarians use antibiotics responsibly, protecting the efficacy and availability of antibiotics for therapeutic and disease prevention purposes for the health and safety of animals and the food supply.

The Judicious Use Guidelines of the American Veterinary Medical Association and of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians and the Responsible Use of Antibiotics Guidelines in the pork industry’s Pork Quality Assurance Plus program are closely aligned, and NPPC supports their incorporation into every farmer’s daily practices. Additionally, the pork industry is adopting changes included in FDA Guidance 213, which is restricting the use in food animals of medically important antibiotics, as well as the agency’s Veterinary Feed Directive. The industry also is working with USDA and FDA to best accomplish meaningful reporting of antibiotics use data.

America’s hog farmers are committed to producing safe, affordable and healthful foods for consumers and using industry practices that have been designed with input from veterinarians and other animal-care experts to provide humane and compassionate care for their pigs at every stage of life.