Chicken Feed in the News

Md. delegate to present ban on arsenic in poultry feed, supporters say chemical pollutes bay

Delegate Tom Hucker is planning to present his bill to ban arsenic compounds from poultry feed to the House Environmental Matters Committee... Supporters of the bill say arsenic in chicken feed contaminates chicken meat as well as chicken waste, which can end up in the Chesapeake Bay. Some also say it increases risks of cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

As I've pointed out before, there's zero evidence that the arsenic added to chicken feed contributes to water pollution above the water quality criteria anywhere in Maryland, and very little evidence that it even increases the amount of arsenic in chicken meat above natural levels.  But the people who want the ban don't care about facts; it's just that arsenic sounds bad.