Reforming labeling standards for meat and poultry products in the United States : a critical step towards reducing antibiotic use in livestock production

Abstract

This research-based project explores the widespread use of antibiotics in livestock production systems in the United States. Extensive research on the subject has revealed that the sub-therapeutic administration of antibiotics for growth promotion and disease prevention pose a serious risk to human health. As virulent strains of antibiotic-resistant bacteria are emerging at increasing rates within human and animal reservoirs, the need for an integrated approach to reducing antibiotic use in food-producing animals is necessary to slow their development. Proposed legislation aimed to combat antibiotic resistance faces political gridlock and while it is unlikely to be passed by Congress, the implementation of agency-level reforms may provide a necessary first step to reducing antibiotic use in the agriculture industry. A petition introduced to the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) by the Animal Legal Defense Fund in 2013 serves to promote standardized labeling practices of antibiotic-type claims. By providing consumers with the ability to make informed purchasing decisions, it is hopeful that this will encourage better industry practices that will later influence legislative reform. Included in Appendix A is an updating letter to the FSIS to provide evidence in support of the petition since 2013. In response to global awareness of the issue, an international agreement is also suggested, which could further promote more sustainable practices to safeguard the continued effectiveness of antibiotics worldwide.