Livestock antibiotic use, human health could be linked: USDA official
By Dani Friedland on 7/16/2010

A USDA official told a Congressional panel there is likely a link between
agricultural antibiotic use and antibiotic resistance in humans.

“USDA believes that it is likely that the use of antibiotics in animal
agriculture does lead to some cases of antibacterial resistance among
humans and in the animals themselves, and it is important that these
medically important antibiotics be used judiciously,” Dr. John Clifford,
APHIS’s deputy administrator for veterinary services, told the House
Committee on Energy and Commerce’s Subcommittee on Health during a
hearing Wednesday.

Clifford also discussed the future of the USDA’s role, saying that the USDA
wants to expand current partnerships with other federal agencies—and
develop new ones. “We need to work together to conduct research and develop new therapies that protect and preserve animal health, without increasing the risk of resistance to medically important antibiotics,” Clifford said in prepared testimony.

“We must identify alternative animal health management techniques – tools and technologies, including newer and better vaccines and diagnostic tests.

That portion of the partnership would extend beyond our federal partners to farmers and producers themselves,” he added. “USDA wants to partner with them to facilitate the judicious use of antibiotics in ways that are feasible to farmers and ranchers.”

Reference:
http://www.meatingplace.com/MembersOnly/webNews/details.aspx?item=17316&pf=false

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