The Urban School Food Alliance (USFA) is testing No Antibiotic Ever (NAE) chicken at 14 of its member districts as part of a pilot program.
USFA partnered with Rich Chicks, LLC to begin serving NAE chicken tenders and patties at the participating districts.
Students have responded well to the menu items and USFA hopes the pilot will further strengthen its purchasing power and improve the quality of ingredients found in school meals.
“We aim to drive the marketplace in school food rather than continue to be subject to it,” said Urban School Food Alliance Executive Director Katie Wilson in a statement. “It is time to set our own standards for good food in our schools. We have worked hard with our partners, school districts, and most importantly, children to create a quality product they like, is healthy and meets USDA meal standards. The changes we make in large volumes with NAE chicken can lead the way for procurement and nutritional improvements for other popular school lunch products.”
This is not the first time USFA has aimed to cut down on the use of antibiotics in animal products served in schools. In 2021, the nonprofit issued a responsible antibiotic use standard for turkey products served at its member districts.