The World Health Organization is calling for a ban on the use of antibiotics in food animal production. That’s concerning to not only the National Pork Producers Council but also for Nebraska Pork Producers Association President Russ Vering. He says he and his fellow producers use antibiotics responsibly for the health of their animals and are closely following the Veterinary Feed Directive.
He says he and the NPPC share the WHO’s concern about the rise in antibiotic resistant bacteria but that antibiotic use for the health of animals has no connection to antibiotic resistance in humans. Vering also says the WHO should have talked to producers before calling for an antibiotic ban.
Vering says if the WHO goes ahead with the antibiotic ban in food animal production the loser in the long run will be consumers.
Vering and NPPC officials both say that simply reducing on farm uses of antibiotics likely would have no effect on public health and would jeopardize animal health.
