ALLPROVIDE MEATS – YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED!

Do you use antibiotics or hormones in any Allprovide products?

We only use USDA inspected and approved meats for human consumption.

As we care for all animals, Allprovide reviews all suppliers for commitment to the Humane Handling and Animal Welfare programs, and sources their chickens from farms where antibiotics are only ever used when medically required for a sick animal. The AVMA requires farmers to ensure the health and well being of their animals, and to deny them medical care where required is not allowed. However, any such medication is given only in strict accordance with the FDA regulations by a vet, and there has to be a period of time allowed for the medication to leave the animal’s system before that animal enters the food chain. It is illegal to sell meats containing antibiotics.

The Food and Drug Administration approved the use of antibiotics in animal feed nearly 50 years ago. Antibiotics are used four ways in food animals: to treat disease, prevent disease, control disease and promote growth. Farmers use antibiotics to prevent, treat and control diseases such as pneumonia, hepatitis, and salmonellosis. Antibiotics can also help promote growth in animals by controlling intestinal bacteria than can block nutrient absorption.

Are hormones used in meat and poultry productions?

CHICKENS & PIGS

All animals, including humans, naturally produce significant amounts of hormones during their lifetimes since hormones are needed for normal growth and functioning. The use of added hormones is carefully regulated by law.

Federal law does NOT permit the use of added hormones in poultry or pigs. Since hormones are not used in the production of poultry (chicken and turkey) or pigs, poultry and pork products sold in the United States do not contain any added hormones.

BEEF CATTLE

Cattle farmers often use small amounts of hormones to increase rate of weight gain in animals. The amount of hormone found in beef products is negligible compared with the amount of hormones naturally produced by the human body. Beef from a bull has testosterone levels more than 10 times higher than beef from a steer (castrated bull) that has received hormones during production, and a single egg contains more then 500 times the amount of natural hormones than in 3 oz of beef (even though no hormones can be given to poultry by law – see above).

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture monitors beef for hormone residues. Hormone residues in meat are not linked with any human health effect.The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has also set strict tolerance levels for these hormones, which are usually administered to cattle using an ear implant. This method ensures that hormone is released very slowly and remains at low concentrations within the animal.

The World Health Organization and the FDA have found that the levels of hormones in beef cattle is extremely low and of no concern to the human (or dog) population.

For those concerned about the humane treatment of the animals used to obtain the meats in our products (taken from our suppliers’ respective websites):

Butterball (our turkey supplier): Butterball has developed an Animal Care and Well-Being Council; engages associates in Comprehensive Training Curriculum, has secured American Humane Association (AHA) certification and is making ongoing operational enhancements at all of its facilities.

Pilgrim Poultry: All of our plants have been certified by the British Retailers Consortium (BRC), one of four audits recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative. These audits, which today are required by most of our retail customers, are used to evaluate a plant’s food safety and quality programs. With 326 requirements that must be met before a final certification grade can be given, the audit is among the toughest in the industry. Pilgrim’s has adopted the science-based guidelines for animal welfare issued by the National Chicken Council. These guidelines are designed to promote the humane treatment and well-being of poultry throughout the production process. All of our complexes are audited on a regular basis to ensure full compliance with these humane treatment guidelines.

FPL Beef: FPL FOOD was the first beef processor in the United States to install the Arrowsight Camera Monitoring System. This system is a comprehensive monitoring system used for both internal & external third party audits of all locations in the production process where live animals are handled.

Are your meats fresh?

– Our meats are usually delivered within two days of kill, making our products considerably fresher than the meats purchased in grocery stores.

– We only make small batches, thereby ensuring the product is as fresh as possible, and quality can be constantly and consistently monitored.

– We have an open door policy at our factory, so anyone who is interested in seeing what we do is more than welcome to take a tour of our facility. We have nothing to hide!