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USDA's Tom Vilsack Addressess the Animal Agriculture Alliance About Antibiotic Usage in Animals

313 views · Published 21 October 2015 · 2:11 · Indexed 30 October 2026

Channel: RFD-TV · 2015 · Entertainment

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Q: Kay Johnson Smith, President & CEO, Animal Agriculture Alliance: 
"Despite the usefulness and benefits of antibiotics in livestock production, opponents are concerned about the possibility of unintended consequences to humans. FDA is set to address these concerns and animal ag groups are also taking action. Some still say it's not enough, especially given the state legislation that passed recently in California. What are your thoughts?"

A: Tom Vilsack: "Well the Department of Agriculture is an integral part of a task force that the President established by executive order to take a look at this issue of antimicrobial resistance and figure out the best strategies.  And within that strategy, there is the focus on judicious and appropriate use of antibiotics for livestock, understanding that there is a time and a place and an opportunity to use antibiotics appropriately and reasonably and to use it in the context of a veterinarian taking a look at all the circumstances and situations.  And we see a continued acceptance of that notion as we travel around the country.  We've been working with the FDA, the Food and Drug Administration, to educate producers about the appropriate use of antibiotics.  That's the first thing.  Secondly, there's a lot we don't know about antimicrobial resistance and so one of the things that we're doing at USDA is to encourage additional research.  A lot of these pathogens are naturally occurring in the soil and there are also ways in which we potentially could reduce them on the farm.  So there's a need for us to do more research and better education.  And then finally looking at alternatives, probiotics and things of that nature.  Are there ways in which we could potentially be more effective in prevention, rather than necessarily treatment.  So there's an awful lot going on in this space and I really appreciate the fact that you're out there educating people because in this day and age with so much information, so much specialized information, sometimes people think they know what's going on, but in fact they may not.  And it is, I think, important for folks to know farmers take this very seriously, they're very concerned about it and they are taking steps now to reduce the use because the market is demanding it and it's the appropriate thing.  But making sure that we do it in a reasonable and thoughtful way so that we continue to have a strong livestock industry."

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