National Movement to Ban Antibiotics in Livestock Gaining Momentum in Washington State

August 31, 2015

Summary

“It’s time for our state and national leaders to take this critical, rational step in protecting families, animals and the long term health of our society.”

Story

The Metropolitan King County Council today unanimously adopted a motion supporting both state or federal regulatory and legislative actions to restrict the nontherapeutic uses of antibiotics in farm animals.

At the core of the growing national issue is widespread concern from the medical community that the practice has caused a rapid and dangerous increase in occurances of antibiotic resistance, putting the efficacy of all human antibiotic treatments at risk. The Centers for Disease Control estimates at least 2 million people per year are being infected with antibiotic resistant bacteria, causing roughly 23,000 people to die as a direct result.

“It’s unconscionable that nearly two million people are infected with antibiotic resistant bacteria each year,” said Council Chair Larry Phillips, the motion’s sponsor. “It’s time for our state and national leaders to take this critical, rational step in protecting families, animals and the long term health of our society.”

While numerous attempts in Congress have repeatedly stalled, the European Union successfully banned the use of antibiotics for growth promotion in food animals in 2006.

Over 30 million pounds of antibiotics were sold for use in animals in 2013—a number representing roughly 80 percent of all antibiotics sold in the United States.

Today’s vote comes on the heels of the Food and Drug Administraton (FDA) issuing a veterinary feed directive earlier this summer that provided a framework for when and how veterinarians authorize use of antibiotics in feed for animal health purposes. The FDA effort also includes a voluntary arrangement with animal pharmaceutical companies to begin phasing out antibiotics used specifically for growth promotion.