Thumbs Down For Antibiotics Used In Meat Production
Frankly, I’ve always been a bit confused about the effects of antibiotics used in meat production. Some people say that there is little data and we shouldn’t worry about it. Others say it’s a major problem in our food industry. Obviously as a veg I don’t have to worry so much about it. But like all issues, its bigger than whether or not it just effects me. An article in the Washington Post really got my attention with the information it provided on this issue.
The article says:
Food animal production accounts for 70 percent — 70 percent! — of the antibiotics used in the United States. That doesn’t even include the antibiotics used for animals that actually get sick. That figure is for “non-therapeutic use” such as growth promotion and disease prevention.
Why are farm animals given such high amounts of preventative antibiotics? Because they are kept in such deplorable conditions that stuffing them full of meds is the only way to keep them from spreading sickness like the bubonic plague. Comforting, right?
But why are antibiotics in food bad? That’s what I was never really clear on. The article talks about this excess of meds in the food contributing to more antibiotic resistant bacteria. Basically, all this exposure to antibiotics makes it so our regular medicine is less effective. I won’t go into this but you should read the article and see what it has to say on the topic.
What are other countries doing? Are we alone in our maniac use of antibiotics? Not alone but other countries are changing their policies because of the dangers:
There’s also a trade angle to the issue: In 1986, Sweden banned the use of non-therapeutic antibiotics in their meat. In 1998, Denmark, the largest swine-producing nation in Europe, did the same. In 2006, the whole European Union outlawed growth-promoting antibiotics in its meat, and it’s likely that other countries will follow suit.
I recommend the whole article. It gives stats, studies and great info.
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