Farm Bureau Busts Antibiotic Myths with Congressional Staff

Farm Bureau shares with congressional staff that antibiotics remain important for animal and public health.

Your American Farm Bureau Federation and other members of the Coalition for Animal Health hosted an educational briefing for congressional staff on meat production, public health and the importance of antibiotics. The briefing focused on helping legislators understand how and why farmers use antibiotics.

The risk to humans is negligible due to on-farm antibiotic use, said Dr. Scott Hurd, a veterinarian and epidemiologist at Iowa State University. He cited numerous peer-reviewed scientific assessments that have failed to demonstrate any detectable risk for treatment failure in humans caused by on-farm antibiotic use in animals.

Failure to prevent or treat illness causes unnecessary animal suffering and death, Hurd pointed out. Further, he explained, animals with residual effects of illness are more likely to cause human foodborne disease.

"Every farm with animals is both a maternity hospital and a day care," said Hurd. "Animals need medicines at times, just like kids do. This becomes a moral and ethical issue…at what point will we deny treatment? It's not right to withhold veterinary care for animals."

Antibiotics for animals are needed because illnesses can move quickly through populations and livestock cannot "stay home" when they are sick.

Farmers and veterinarians are working together to manage potential hazards, with the goal of producing a safe and wholesome food supply, protecting public health and preserving antibiotics for use by future generations.

"It's a long way from farm to harm," Hurd said.

Commenting on several bacteria of concern to the Infectious Disease Society, Hurd said most, including Staphyloccous infections (MRSA), Streptococcus pneumoniae and drug-resistant tuberculosis, are not foodborne infections or related in any way to food-producing animals.

Illinois Farm Bureau offers facts additional facts on antibiotic use. 

Get to know your grassroots organization. Check out farmer-created IFB Policy #54. Animal Health and Identification.