Food and nutrition company Cargill has announced that its Shady Brook Farms brand has met Certified Responsible Antibiotic Use (CRAU) standards, which comply with school meal eligibility requirements across the US.

The explained that it has attained CRAU designation for the Shady Brook Farms brand by creating a supply chain that provided turkey protein to meet the certification requirements.

Talking about the designation, Cargill turkey brands head of food safety quality and regulatory Scott Eilert said: “It tells schools throughout the nation that they can have confidence when serving Shady Brook Farms products to fuel curious minds and growing bodies.

“It was a true collaboration between School Food Focus, the USDA and Shady Brook Farms.  The result is a win for schools, childhood nutrition and the people who work so hard every day to provide the food we eat.”

In July 2014, Cargill announced that it would eliminate the use of growth-promoting antibiotics, which was fully implemented from 2015.

"CRAU is an important way for schools to do this and we applaud Cargill for taking this vital step to ensure a healthier food system for all.”

Last year, the company has announced that it would no longer use gentamicin in its turkey business, a shared-class antibiotic routinely used for decades.

School Food Focus co-founder Kathy Lawrence said: “We created the CRAU standard to reduce the use of medically important antibiotics and provide an essential level of transparency, accountability and customer choice lacking in the school food market.

“Every child deserves to be served food that is good for their health, our local economies and the environment. CRAU is an important way for schools to do this and we applaud Cargill for taking this vital step to ensure a healthier food system for all.”

The CRAU certification for Shady Brook Farms turkey products will be included into the brand’s existing Process Verified Programme (PVP) initiative.