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   XPost: alt.health   
   From: pautrey23x@gmail.com   
      
   Farmers and Scientists Call for More Action on Antibiotics in   
   Agriculture   
   BY HELENA BOTTEMILLER | SEP 20, 2012   
   More than 150 scientists and 50 farmers came out this week in support   
   of stricter limits on antibiotics used in animal agriculture as part   
   of a broader effort to tackle the "health crisis" caused by growing   
   antibiotic resistance.   
      
   Earlier this year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration finalized a   
   voluntary guidance for farmers on the "judicious" uses of antibiotics   
   in agriculture and asked veterinary drug makers to voluntarily phase   
   out medically important drugs from being available over the counter --   
   but public health advocates have not relented in their calls for   
   stronger action on the issue. According to the most recent estimates,   
   80 percent of all antibiotics sold in the United States are used to   
   raise food animals and many of these drugs are the same ones used in   
   human medicine.   
      
   Keeping Antibiotics Working coordinated the release of the statements,   
   signed by scientists and farmers, on a Wednesday press call with   
   Congresswoman Louise Slaughter (D-NY), a microbiologist who has   
   fiercely advocated for a ban on subtherapeutic antibiotic usage in   
   food animal production.   
      
   In their statement, scientists from the leading universities and   
   research institutions discussed the current science on antibiotic   
   resistance and criticized the slow, voluntary nature of federal action   
   to reduce agriculture's contribution to the problem.   
      
   "While the U.S. medical establishment is making strides in reducing   
   unnecessary antibiotic use, the agricultural community is not keeping   
   pace," reads the statement, noting that both human medicine and animal   
   agriculture are contributing factors. "The use of antibiotics for   
   whatever purpose over time creates drug‐resistant strains of bacteria,   
   thwarting successful treatment of infectious diseases. So, antibiotics   
   should be used only when necessary."   
      
   The animal health industry and major animal agriculture interest   
   groups argue that they support judicious use of antibiotics in food   
   animal production and that the drugs are key to an efficient,   
   affordable, safe food supply. They contend that there is very little,   
   if any, direct link between drug use on farms and the superbugs   
   causing health problems in people.   
      
   The statement put out by scientists disagrees. They say animal   
   agriculture has largely ignored the hundreds of scientific research   
   articles that have showed that overuse in both humans and animals is   
   linked to human diseases that are increasingly difficult to treat with   
   antibiotics.   
      
   According to the scientists, the strongest link between agricultural   
   overuse and human health is recurring foodborne illness caused by   
   resistant strains of Salmonella and Campylobacter. Recent research has   
   also linked animal agriculture to  resistant E. coli infections and   
   methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections.   
      
   "We strongly urge an immediate end to the imprudent use of antibiotics   
   in animal agriculture and call on the FDA and Congress to work   
   together to make that happen," concluded the document, which was   
   signed by Donald Kennedy, Ph.D., of Stanford University and former   
   editor-in-chief of Science, Stuart B. Levy, M.D., of Tufts University   
   of Medicine and the Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics, Keeve   
   Nachman, Ph.D, of Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future, and more   
   than 150 other doctors, microbiologists, and researchers.   
      
   The farmers and ranchers took a slightly different approach in their   
   statement, explaining the issue from a more community- and small   
   business-focused perspective.   
      
   "We believe the imprudent use of antibiotics not only renders   
   antibiotics less effective or ineffective for sick farm animals, it   
   also threatens public health and the safety of our nation's food   
   supply," read the statement. "We are concerned for the health of our   
   customers, our neighbors, our employees, and our own families."   
      
   They argue that their farms and ranches prove that it is "not only   
   possible but actually economically viable to produce meat, dairy   
   products, and eggs that are safe to eat without continually dosing   
   animals with drugs they don't need." The statement noted that   
   operations can avoid the overuse of antibiotics though sound husbandry   
   practices.   
      
   "Many studies indicate that consumers are likely to come into contact   
   with these dangerous bacteria through the meat they buy in their   
   supermarket," continues the statement. "News reports of such   
   infections undermine consumer confidence in the safety of meat,   
   poultry and dairy products. We only have to look at American   
   consumers' responses to recent disease outbreaks caused by   
   contaminated spinach or apple juice to understand the business   
   implications of outbreaks linked to food products derived from   
   animals. Such outbreaks pose a real danger to our livelihoods."   
      
   The document was signed by Nicolette Hahn Niman, Bill Niman, and Paul   
   Willis of Niman Ranch Pork Company, Russ Kremer of Heritage Acres   
   Foods, Stephen McDonnel of Appleagate, Amanda Grace of Cedarland Farm,   
   and more than 40 others.   
      
   This story has been updated with links.   
      
      
   © Food Safety News   
      
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   Tags: agriculture, animal antibiotics, antibiotics, FDA, Keep   
   Antibiotics Working   
      
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