Claim: No Antibiotics

On meat and poultry labels, the Department of Agriculture requires that a "no antibiotics" claim means that the animals were not given antibiotics in their feed, in their water, or by injection. This includes ionophores—antibiotics used only in animals, not in human medicine. Other, similar claims that fall under the same definition include: "raised without antibiotics," "never, ever antibiotics," and "no antibiotics ever." The USDA doesn't permit the claim "antibiotic free" to be used on meat or poultry.

These claims address only antibiotic use, so they don't mean that the animals weren't treated with other types of drugs, such as hormones, to promote growth or increase fertility.

Read Why Reducing the Use of Drugs in Farm Animals Matters.

Labels on dairy and egg cartons are overseen by the Food and Drug Administration, which doesn't have a definition for "no antibiotics" and similar claims, and doesn't verify the claims. You may see the words "no antibiotics" or "antibiotic free" on milk cartons. The FDA permits this and expects that residues of certain types of antibiotics in the milk are below detectable levels; however, it doesn't mean the cows weren't given antibiotics.

Read Why Reducing the Use of Drugs in Farm Animals Matters.

For meat and poultry, the Department of Agriculture requires that companies submit a copy of their label for approval if it includes a "no antibiotics" or similar claim. Government employees approve this one-time application based on the supporting documentation provided by the producer, without independently verifying or inspecting any farms or facilities. The Food and Drug Administration doesn't require that labels be approved before products go on the market, so on dairy and egg cartons, "no antibiotics" claims aren't verified. (The FDA, like the USDA, requires that labels be truthful and not misleading, however.)

If you see any "no antibiotics" claim plus the USDA Processed Verified Program shield, USDA Organic label, or American Grassfed label, the claim has been verified. Be aware, though, that "no growth-promoting antibiotics" doesn't mean "no antibiotics," even if it's paired with a USDA Process Verified shield. That claim means that animals were not given antibiotics for growth promotion (a practice now banned across the board by the government), but they may still be given antibiotics for disease prevention.

Read Why Verification Matters.