The tide turns in battle to rid farms of antibiotics
US - The federal government and the commercial farming industry are beginning to take action to protect the effectiveness of antibiotics in people by restricting their use in farm animals.At the end of July, the Food and Drug Administration told the poultry industry to stop using the antibiotic Baytril, which is effective against many different germs, fearing that its continued use would weaken the use of similar antibiotics in people.
And earlier this month, pig-farming giant Smithfield Foods announced it would reduce the number of antibiotics it feeds its animals. McDonald's, and several other restaurant chains, already prefer to buy meat raised with reduced levels of antibiotics. Federal legislation is pending to help wean farmers off the use of the drugs.
Source: Boston.com
23 August 2005
1 minute read
