Action for Animals Austin

Here is the headline: Administration Seeks to Restrict Antibiotics in Livestock

This story did not get wide coverage but it is one of the most relevant I've read in a while. As a reminder, scientist and doctors have been claiming for years (studies back this up) that due to the use of antibiotics on livestock, antibiotic-resistant bacteria and infections are now harder to treat in humans. Antibiotics are used in factory farms to treat illnesses brought on by severe overcrowding.

Here are some important facts to know about this story:

• 70% of all antibiotics used in the U.S. are given to chickens, pigs, cows, and other animals raised on factory farms
• the Institute of Medicine, part of the National Academy of Sciences, estimated that the annual cost of treating antibiotic-resistant infections in the U.S. might be as high as $30 billion
• the European Union, on the recommendation of the World Health Organization, has banned the use of antibiotics to promote the growth of livestock animals when those drugs are also used to treat people.

Passage of any bill seems unlikely this year due to strong opposition from pig, cattle and chicken producers. However, many believe that this issue will pass in the next few years.

• Factory Farms