Rising antibiotic use on farms prompts renewed push for federal restrictions

[Dover]

Public health advocates are renewing their push for stronger restrictions on antibiotics in food production after a Pew Health Group analysis of federal data found that their use was up 6.7 percent in 2010.

The latest Food and Drug Administration survey, released late Friday, found that the overall amount of antibiotics used in food production was 13.9 million kilograms (30.6 million pounds) in 2010, according to Pew. That's up from 13.1 million kilograms (28.8 million pounds) in 2009.

Excluding ionophores, which are used exclusively on animals, the increase was 8.6 percent - from 9.3 million kilograms in 2009 to 10.1 million kilograms in 2010.

..//..

"This report confirms what we already know: Industrial farms are using antibiotics on a massive scale that far exceeds what doctors are using to treat sick people," said Laura Rogers, project director for the Pew Campaign on Human Health and Industrial Farming. "As a result, infections are becoming more difficult and expensive to treat. The time for the Administration to protect our health is long overdue."

cont'd

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=post&forum=222

[Dover]

1. Oops.. wrong link. Here's the right link for the article.

http://thehill.com/blogs/healthwatch/food-safety/190557-rising-farm-use-of-antibiotics-prompts-renewed-push-for-federal-restrictions

[CanSocDem]

2. How can that be....???

"Antibiotics" are great science. A real boon to modern living.....

.

[SidDithers]

4. Alexander Fleming would probably agree with that statement...nt

Sid

[BuddhaGirl]

3. UGH UGH UGH!

I read recently that probiotics are increasingly being used in farm animals in Europe to good success. I think Europe has banned the use of non-therapeutic antibiotic use in animals.

Of course feeding cattle corn, for that almighty "corn-fed beef" b.s. causes the cattle to get sick, thus the need for antibiotics. Cattle should not eat corn!