Friday, July 6, 2012

Fighting to retain antibiotics



Seventeen organizations have written a letter to Congress, defending the right of farmers to continue using antibiotics as growth promotants.

“Blanket actions to restrict antibiotic use would actually make our food system less safe, limit our ability to prevent, control and treat disease and hurt countless animals,” they said in the letter.

“We do not believe it serves the consumer to stigmatize certain production systems to boost others,” the organizations said in response to an article in Consumer Union Reports.

The magazine included the results of a survey that indicates consumers want meat that’s free of antibiotics.

“We agree there needs to be a dialogue about the use of antibiotics in farm animals, but we stand firm that antibiotics, when used properly and under the oversight of a veterinarian, are critical to making safe food,” the letter said.

The groups did not distinguish between the therapeutic and sub-therapeutic use of antibiotics.
It’s subtherapeutic ( i.e. growth-promoting) uses that most critics want banned. Therapeutic uses are veterinary prescriptions to treat bacterial infections and diseases.

The 17 groups that sent the letter are:

American Association of Bovine Practitioners;
American Association of Small Ruminant Practitioners;
American Association of Swine Veterinarians;
American Farm Bureau Federation;
American Feed Industry Association;
American Meat Institute;
American Veterinary Medical Association;
Animal Agriculture Alliance;
Animal Health Institute;
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association;
National Chicken Council;
National Grain and Feed Association;
National Milk Producers Federation;
National Pork Producers Council;
National Turkey Federation;
North American Meat Association, and
U.S. Poultry & Egg Association.