This McDonald’s food-supply change could be a huge boost to public health

McDonald’s has long been the punch line for junk food: It’s about as far from Sweetgreen as you can get. Even adding a kale salad and fruit to its menu didn’t help its reputation. But here’s something that just might, at least a little: The fast food megachain will begin cutting back its use of antibiotics in its chicken supply in 2018, Reuters reports.

The change is already in effect stateside—and now McDonald’s is taking their commitment global. By 2018, the US, Europe, Canada, Brazil, Japan, and South Korea all must be fully switched over to using antibiotic-free chickens. And deadlines will be put in place for other countries up until 2027, the company’s cutoff for worldwide compliance.

Many farmers feed their animals antibiotics to help them resist diseases, but it’s backfired, leading to superbug infections that kill over 23,000 people each year in the US alone.

So, why now? Many farmers feed their animals antibiotics to help them resist diseases, but it’s backfired, leading to superbug infections that kill over 23,000 people each year in the US alone, Reuters reports. Reps from the chain say they can no longer ignore the global threat it’s causing. Yep—McDonald’s is woke.

Sure, it’s not as massive as switching to full-on organic or non-GMO, but it’s a step, and any healthy change taking place at as big of a chain as McDonald’s is a huge one for the food supply—and public health—in general.

Speaking of fast food, here are five healthy places for when you’re in a hurry. Plus, three Panera Bread healthy food hacks you never knew were an option.