This week’s announcement at Antibiotic Stewardship Forum at the White House took the National Pork Producers Council a bit by surprise. President Obama announced there would be no meat served there produced with antibiotics or hormones.

NPPC Chief Vet Dr. Liz Wagstrom says the industry is already phasing out the use of antibiotics as growth promotants in preparation for FDA’s drug guidance that will take effect at the end of 2016. However, the White House directive went much farther than that. She says unfortunately the President’s directive may give consumers the wrong impression.

Wagstrom says they do embrace however, the move to more responsible use of medications in pork production.

She says the Administration move comes without strong evidence to show a link between antibiotic resistance in humans and use in livestock.