Use of Antibiotics in Agriculture

Abstract

Representative Louise Slaughter (D-NY) seems to have a primary mission in Congress to eliminate the use of antibiotics in agriculture to save mankind from antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. “Overuse of antibiotics on farms leads directly to antibiotic resistant pathogens,” as stated by Slaughter, is an oversimplification of the problem of antibiotic resistance. An opposing effect of widespread, untreated, animal diseases might be a result of Congress restricting or eliminating the use of effective antimicrobials in animals. A healthy animal is a healthy food source. Processed and USDA-inspected meat is relatively pure of bacteria; it is handling of the product that causes most contamination with bacteria. Many scientists have searched for data that would prove transmission of antibiotic-resistant bacteria from animals to humans, but significant occurrences have not been concluded. Most disturbing to me is the loss of many tons of meat to landfills from companies trying to appeal to the safety of consumers while most of the product would be greatly needed protein and nutritional source for the masses of malnourished people throughout the world. Good intentions can cause bad results, especially if made into a law.