FDA to phase out antibiotic use in livestock raising

Plans to help phase out the use of antibiotics for enhancing growth or improving feed efficiency in food-producing animals are underway, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  The decision was made following a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that said, "Up to half of antibiotic use in humans and much of antibiotic use in animals are unnecessary."

The Organic Trade Association (OTA) supports the FDA's long-term efforts but reminds the public a clear choice to avoid antibiotics in animal agriculture exists now. "Because the use of antibiotics in animal rearing is strictly prohibited in organic production, organic is the gold standard for consumers, today, concerned about their overuse and wishing to avoid exposure to antibiotic-resistant bacteria linked to such use," said Laura Batcha, OTA's executive vice president. She added, "Instead, organic producers provide living conditions and health care practices that help prevent illness and promote health of the animals—so just look for the USDA Organic seal when shopping."

Statistics released by FDA show that animal production uses over 29 million pounds of antibiotics annually. "If everyone chose just one organic product out of every 10 they purchased, we could eliminate over 2.5 million pounds of unnecessary antibiotic use each year. That could go a long way in reducing the development of antibiotic resistance," according to Jessica Shade, Ph.D., Director of Science Programs for The Organic Center.