CRAU Standard

Certified Responsible Antibiotic Use (CRAU) is the first responsible use standard verified by USDA that allows for minimal use of medically important antibiotics in meat production, and only those prescribed by a licensed veterinarian. CRAU is managed and periodically updated by the non-profit Antibiotic Resistance Action Center (ARAC) at the Milken Institute School of Public Health.

Third-party verification by USDA, a government agency accountable to Congress and the public, is essential to ensuring the integrity of CRAU. Companies interested in meeting CRAU must undergo regular USDA audits to verify conformance. Since 2015, the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has been auditing and approving companies to the CRAU standard. 

Meat producers in conformance with CRAU are prohibited from using antibiotics important in human medicine in any regular pattern of use for any reason, including growth promotion, weight gain, feed efficiency, disease prevention, and failure to address underlying causes of disease. Visit the CRAU website for more information.