Monday, October 12, 2015

California restricts antibiotics

 California Governor Jerry Brown has signed a law that will reduce farmers’ access to antibiotics for livestock and poultry.

Beginning Jan. 1, 2018, they will be banned to prevent diseases and as growth promotants.

Most other government restrictions, including those adopted this year by drug companies, only end their use as growth promotants.

Close observers have noticed that this is meaningless as long as they can continue to be used to prevent diseases.

California’s law is the toughest one so far in the United States. What starts there often sweeps across the nation and then into Canada.

The new law allows antibiotics to be used to treat sick and injured animals and birds, making it similar to standards in effect in Europe.