FDA report shows antimicrobial use in food-producing animals is trending down

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FDA report shows antimicrobial use in food-producing animals is trending down

A new report by the Food and Drug Administration shows that while antimicrobial use in food-producing animals increased three percent last year, overall sales and distribution are down 25 percent in the last decade.

In its 2019 summary, FDA said the trend indicates ongoing efforts to slow antimicrobial resistance are having an impact.  Since the 2015 peak in sales, antimicrobial use has fallen 36 percent.

While sales do not necessarily reflect actual use, FDA says sales volume observed over time is a valuable indicator of market changes related to antimicrobial drug products intended for food-producing animals.

The National Pork Producers Council and other livestock groups are collaborating with USDA and the FDA to help fight antibiotic resistance.

NPPC board member Gordon Spronk, a swine veterinarian from Minnesota, calls resistance a very serious issue and says the U.S. pork industry is committed to doing its part to address it.

NPPC also supports FDA guidance that makes it illegal for farmers and veterinarians to administer antibiotics that are medically important for human medicine to food animals for promoting growth.

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