By michael - November, 4th 2014

Antibiotic-resistant disease is a major threat to public health, and the primary cause for this man-made epidemic is the widespread misuse of antibiotics—primarily in agriculture.

In fact, while the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) focuses its attention on minor aspects of the problem, such as the use of antibacterial soaps, it continues to ignore the elephant in the room, namely factory farming practices where antibiotics are routinely fed to animals to promote growth.

Antibiotic-resistant disease is a major threat to public health, and the primary cause for this man-made epidemic is the widespread misuse of antibiotics—primarily in agriculture.

In fact, while the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) focuses its attention on minor aspects of the problem, such as the use of antibacterial soaps, it continues to ignore the elephant in the room, namely factory farming practices where antibiotics are routinely fed to animals to promote growth.

CAFOs Promote Antibiotic-Resistant Disease

Chicken confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) took root in the 1950s, followed by cattle and hog CAFOs in the 1970s and ‘80s respectively. Today, CAFOs dominate all livestock and poultry production in the US.

Experts have been warning about the implications of antibiotic resistance for years, but never before have their warnings been as emphatic as they are now. Dr. Arjun Srinivasan, associate director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently told …

The FDA’s stance toward antibiotics in livestock feed is unconscionable in light of the harm it wreaks, and its weakness makes being proactive on a personal level all the more important. Quite simply, the FDA has been, and still is, supporting the profitability of large-scale factory farming at the expense of public health. Perhaps one of the strongest messages you can send is to change how you spend your food dollars. By opting for antibiotic-free, pasture raised and finished meats, you’re actively supporting farmers who are not contributing to the man-made plague that is antibiotic-resistant disease. Avoiding antibiotics in all its forms as much as possible will further help curb the growing resistance.

The FDA said volutantary guidelines “is the most efficient and effective way to change the use of these products in animal agriculture.” NRDC attorney Avinash Kar stated, “The FDA's failure to act on its own findings about the 30 reviewed antibiotic feed additives is part of a larger pattern of delay and inaction in tackling livestock drug use that goes back four decades,” Kar told Reuters. FDA Deputy Commissioner and ex-Monsanto attorney Michael Taylor will leave quite a legacy behind. He's not only served Monsanto and the other pesticide producers quite well, he seems to carry the same sentiment over to the antiobiotic crisis.

Please Read this Article at Articles.Mercola.com

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