The White House released a comprehensive plan that identifies critical actions the federal government will use to combat the increase in antibiotic resistant bacteria. National Pork Producer Council’s Chief Veterinarian Dr. Liz Wagstrom calls it a balanced report. She says FDA is in the process of banning antibiotic use for growth promotion and also in classes used for human medicine. Wagstrom says this report is appropriate in seeing how producers and vets comply with those rules.

Wagstrom says the report also calls for research into what options ag producers may have to substitute for antibiotics used for medical purposes in their animals.

Wagstrom says producers will need to have their antibiotic records on hand should they choose to answer a future government survey on those.

The President’s budget plan for 2016 calls for spending $ 1.2 billion for combating and preventing antibiotic resistance.