The president of the South Dakota Pork Producers Council refutes several accusations about pork production made in a 60 Minutes story that aired January 5. Craig Andersen says the first inaccuracy is that pork producers are over stocking animals in confinement which stresses the pigs and leads to more illness. Then farmers are treating the sick pigs with antibiotics which is causing anti-microbial resistance.

He says they’ve tightened biosecurity on their farms to prevent illness so they can use fewer antibiotics for treatment. Plus, there is not a strong link between antibiotic resistance in livestock and antibiotic resistance in humans.

Andersen also says the claim that USDA’s new swine inspection system in pork packing plants lessens food safety is wrong. He says there are new technologies being used in facilities that are making the inspection process safer.

Andersen says the 60 Minutes story also stated pork producers can refuse inspections on their farm from USDA and that is false.