Legislation to ban routine antibiotics in animal feed

[Sillygirl]

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/14/health/policy/14fda.html?_r=1&hp

By putting small doses of antibiotics in animals' daily food, they grow a little more quickly, improving the profit margin. They also allow bacteria to evolve defenses against the antibiotics, so the drugs we have to treat deadly infections become more useless each year. And they allow the animals to be kept in ever-more unsanitary and unhealthy conditions. The article is about the testimony Congress is hearing today on a measure to ban the practice. The farm lobby is against it, but there's hope it will get in on the health care reform bill.

Listen, Obama fan or Palin fan, this affects us all. The giant agribusinesses are making a few pennies more while putting all of us at serious risk. There aren't any blockbuster antibiotics coming down the research pipeline - they aren't maintenance medications, so nobody is spending millions to find them. Big Pharma is too busy dreaming up the next Viagra. If this ever gets out of committee, please contact your Congressman or Congresswoman and urge them to support this measure.

[daisymommy]

Thank-goodness, it's about time! Maybe if they just treated the animals more humanely and took better care of them they wouldn't need all those routine antibiotics!
Okay, stepping down off of soap box now ;)

[wellyes]

I read recently (in the Boston Globe) that 70% of America's antibiotic use is for livestock. Mostly preventative, not treating illnesses, just pumping drugs into animals because the conditions they live in are so unsantitary.

Aside from the issues of animal cruelty and creating antibiotic-resistant diseases, this is a big problem because traces of pharmaceuticals from excreted waste shows up in tap water. Very scary.

[Sillygirl]

It's before the House Rules Committee right now. Here's a list of members:
http://www.rules.house.gov/rules_members.htm. Check and see if your reprsentative is there. You can click on their name and send them an email. I have a family member that works on the Hill - constituent emails are very important! Get clicking!

[brittone2]

Thanks for posting this. I just sent an email to one of the NC reps who sits on the rules committee. Highly likely that she'll just delete my email, considering I live in NC, home of Smithfield and commercial pork production. Sigh.

At least we have some great local farms here that raise pastured, humanely raised pork, where we can meet the pigs :)

There has also been some increased pressure at UNC to stop buying unethically produced meat...they are offering grass fed beef burgers periodically, and there have been protests and discussions surrounding Smithfield's production (worker treatment, ethics, environmental toll, etc.) on campus.

[kayte]

Sigh... my rep is on the committee. I have his office number programed into my cell phone. (go ahead and giggle at me) I am sure I am on some "crazy-lady" list (or two or three) somewhere. I have called and written often. I suppose it's time for another round.

[trales]

I have been very concerned about this for years. I am glad to see something moving in congress.

[citymama]

Thanks for posting this! Really hope it becomes a reality. 'Bout time.