US livestock and feed groups urge government not to ban antibiotics
A large group of agricultural organisations, mostly feed organisations, has urged the US House of Representatives not to pass a bill that will ban certain animal health products such as antibiotics to be tacked on to any pending legislation.
In a letter to House speaker Nancy Pelosi, the Coalition for Animal Health, which includes organisations that represent veterinarians, farmers and ranchers, food and feed producers and animal medicine manufacturers, , asked that the "Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act of 2009" not be added to bills now being considered, including food-safety and health-care reform legislation.
The legislation would ban from use in livestock and poultry animal health products that are used to prevent and control diseases. Farmers only would be allowed to use animal health products that treat diseases.
The legislation claims to address an increase in antibiotic-resistant illnesses in humans. However, the coalition pointed out, numerous risk assessments, including one conducted by FDA, have shown risk levels associated with antibiotic use in agriculture that are extremely low, and nationally recognised scientific studies have shown that the removal of important animal health products could actually increase food-safety risks.
Antibiotics for preventive use in livestock production have been forbidden in the European Union since January 1, 2006.
The coalition also noted that the food-safety and health-care reform bills are based on the important principle of prevention.
The collation also said that "it would be ironic and inconsistent to add an amendment that would remove important tools for disease prevention used in veterinary medicine as it has long employed prevention as the preferred option for dealing with diseases, and antibiotics are an important tool in the prevention toolbox."
Among the groups in the Coalition for Animal Health are the American Feed Industry Association, the National Turkey Federation, United Egg Producers and the US Poultry and Egg Association.
