The Food and Drug Administration has posted its first estimate of the amount of how many antibioitcs are sold for use in livestock in the United States. The estimate is roughly 29 million pounds last year. The report comes as a result of an amendment to the Animal Drug User Fee Act of 2003. The 2008 amendment requires reports from manufacturers on the annual sales of antibiotics in agriculture.
Opponents of widespread antibiotic use in food animals argue that it will create drug-resistant strains that are not confined to the farm and can eventually make their way to humans, which will ultimately be untreatable by antibiotics based on their resistance. Legislation intended to address the use of agricultural antibiotics, the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act, is progressing but has not been completed.
Posted: 12/13/10
