consumers—not science—are driving the demand for...

Consumers—NotScience—AreDrivingtheDemandforAntibiotic-freeMeat1

Consumers—NotScience—AreDrivingtheDemandforAntibiotic-freeMeat

GregRummo,M.S.M.B.A.CEONewChemic(US)Inc.

NewChemic(US)Inc.50ChestnutRidgeRoadSuite117Montvale,NJ07645Officetelephonenumber:(201)573-9220


Abstract

Fordecadeslivestockfarmersandranchershaveusedantibioticstopreventandtreatinfectionsinfarm

animalsaswellasforgrowthpromotion.Administeredintheanimal’sfeedatsub-therapeuticlevels,

animalsraisedinthismannerexperiencelowermortalityrates,areingeneralhealthierandweighmore.

Whilethemechanismforthisisnotcompletelyunderstood,itisbelievedthataconstantlowdosageof

antibioticsallowsforbetternutrientabsorptionbytheanimals.TheUSFoodandDrugAdministration

hasstrictguidelinesforthewithdrawaltimesforantibioticsusedintherearingoffoodanimalsinorder

toassuretheUSconsumerthatallmeatpurchasedisfreefromantibioticresidue,(FDACompliance

Manual7371.006).Notwithstanding,theclamorfromconsumersforantibiotic-freemeatcontinues.This

surveywasundertakentodetermineconsumers’preferencesformeatandtheirgeneralknowledge

aboutlivestockrearingpracticesincludingtheuseofantibiotics.


WhyAntibioticsAreNecessaryintheRearingofLivestock

Itisforecastthatin2016,theAverageAmericanwillconsume270poundsofmeat,(Fertel,

2016).Multiplythatbyall321,418,820ofusandthat’salotofpoultry,beefandpork.

Inaparalleluniverse,wherewehadn’tstarvedtheAmericanIndiansfromtheirlandsby

ruthlesslyhuntingherdsofbisonthatthunderedacrosstheGreatPlainsseveralcenturiesago,

todayperhapswe’dallbeenjoyinglower-fat,denser,grassfedandwonderfullyflavorfulbuffalo

meatinourburgersatourfamilybarbecues.Butinstead,tofeedthe300millionorsomeat

eatersacrosstheUnitedStates,we’relefttothemethodsofalivestockindustrythatraises

animalsinclosequartersunderconditionsthatoftencausediseasetospread;hencetheneed

forantibiotictreatments,(Rummo,2011).

Fordecades,livestockfarmersandranchershavebeenabletomeettheevergrowingdemand

forqualitymeatthroughtheuseofantibioticstopreventandtreatinfectionsinfoodanimals.

Additionally,livestockrearingpracticehasofnecessityincludedtheadministrationofantibioticsatsub-

therapeuticlevelsintheanimal’sfeedtopromoteoverallanimalhealthandgrowth.

Ithasbeenestimatedthatbyfeedinglivestocksub-therapeuticdosesofantibioticsincreases

weightbyasmuchas3%(Sneeringer,etal,2015),anobviousfinancialgainforthelivestockfarmeror

rancherwhosellshisproductbythepound.Nonetheless,theoverallhealthoftheanimalsalso

improvesresultinginlessdiseaseandlowermortality.

Notsurprisingly,thereverseisalsotrue.Cervantes(2015)writes“Itisgenerallyacknowledged

thatproductionefficiency(weightgain,feedconversionratio,mortalityandyield)isadverselyimpacted

intheantibiotic-freeproductionsystem.”


Thereasonsforthisarenotcompletelyunderstoodinallspeciesalthoughitisbelievedthat

antibioticsallowforanoverallbetterabsorptionofnutrientsintotheanimal’sbloodstream.Areport

featuredonPublicBroadcasting’sFrontlinesuggestedthishastodowiththebacteriathatliveinthe

intestinesoflivestock:

Althoughitisstillunclearexactlywhyfeedingsmall,sub-therapeuticdosesofantibiotics,like

tetracycline,toanimalsmakesthemgainweight,thereissomeevidencetoindicatethatthe

antibioticskilltheflorathatwouldnormallythriveintheanimals’intestines,therebyallowing

theanimalstoutilizetheirfoodmoreeffectively,(ModernMeat,PBS.org).

Inapositionstatement(Cervantes)fortheAAAPDrugs&TherapeuticCommittee,the

mechanismfortheoverallimprovementintheabsorptionofnutrientsinpoultryisbetterunderstood:

Theuseofprophylacticlevelsofantibioticgrowthpromotantsincommercialpoultryensures

goodenterichealth,reducedenvironmentalpollution,andasaferproductfortheconsumer.

Antibioticgrowthpromotants,oftenreferredtoasantibioticfeedadditives,arecommonlyused

incommerciallyraisedpoultryfortheprimarypurposeofmaintainingenterichealth.Because

enterichealthisenhanced,theuseofantibioticgrowthpromotantsfrequentlyresultsinfaster

growthrates,improvedfeedconversions,andasaferconsumermeatsupply.Thisimproved

growthrateandfeedutilizationinpoultryhavebeenshowntobeprimarilyduetotheadequate

controloftoxigenicstrainsofClostridiumperfringensandbytheimprovedutilizationof

nutrientsbythebird,(Stutz&Lawton,1974andVisek,1978).Thisimprovedutilizationof

nutrientsalsomeansthatlessnitrogenandphosphorusisexcretedintotheenvironment.


AUSDAagriculturalbulletinshedsadditionallightonthebenefitsofantibioticsusedforgrowth

promotion:

ItisgenerallyconcededthatcommerciallivestockproductionintheUnitedStates,especially

confinementproduction,wouldbevirtuallyimpossiblewithoutantimicrobialdrugs....Low

levelsofantimicrobialdrugsincreasedailyratesofweightgainandimprovefeedefficiencyin

livestock,loweringfeedcosts(NorthandBell,1990).Antimicrobialdrugsinfeedalsoslightly

improvecarcassqualityincattle(Ensminger,1987).Whensteersandheifersarefedlowlevels

ofantimicrobialdrugs,morefatisdepositedandmarblingincreases,whichcanincreasethe

valueoftheanimal.Whencattlearefedlowlevelsofantimicrobialdrugs,theyhavefewer

diseases;therefore,fewercarcassesorliversarecondemnedduringslaughter,(Matthews,

2001).

LivestockAdministeredAntibioticsAreAlreadyAntibiotic-free

TheUSFoodandDrugAdministration(FDA)hasstrictguidelinesfortheproductionoffood

animalsspecifictotheuseofantibioticsandwithdrawaltimesinordertoensurethatallmeatsoldin

theUSisfreefromantibioticresidues.Theroleofvariousgovernmentagenciesinassuringthesafetyof

themeatsupplyintheUSisoutlinedinanFDAcomplianceprogramguidancemanual:

Protectionofthepublicbyassuringasafemeatandpoultrysupplyisaresponsibilitysharedby

theUSDAFoodSafetyandInspectionService(FSIS),theGrainInspection,Packersand

StockyardsAdministration(GIPSA),theAnimalandPlantHealthInspectionService(APHIS),the

FoodandDrugAdministration(FDA)andtheEnvironmentalProtectionAgency(EPA),TheFSIS

exercisessupervisionovertheslaughterandprocessingofmeatandpoultryproductsin

federallyinspectedestablishmentsandisresponsibleforthesafetyofthesefoodproducts.FSIS


reportsviolativeresiduesofdrugs,andbothviolativeandnon-violativereisiduesofpesticides,

andothercontaminantsinmeatandpoultrytoFDAforfollow-up,(FDAComplianceProgram

GuidanceManual7371.006).

FurtherclarificationisofferedinanindustrywhitepaperpublishedbytheNationalInstitutefor

AnimalAgriculturetitledAntibioticUseinFoodAnimals,(NIAAOctober2011):

Ifantibioticsareadministeredtocureasickanimal,theanimalitself—inthecaseofmeat

production,oranimalproducts—suchasmilk—arenotallowedtoenterthefoodsupplyuntil

thewithdrawalperiodhaspassedandthemedicinehassufficientlyclearedtheanimal’ssystem.

Therequiredperiodsforwithdrawingmedicationarespecificforeachdrugandspeciesandare

approvedbytheFDAbasedonresearchstudiesofresiduesinedibletissues.

AMessageLargelyLostOnConsumers

Consumersareeasilyswayedbyreportsinthemedia,whetherfoundedonscienceornot,about

thefoodtheyeat.Itwasonlyafewyearsagothat“pinkslime”madetheheadlines.Pinkslimewasthe

media’scharacterizationforleanfinelytexturedbeef(LFTB)anatural,healthymeatbasedproductused

asanextendertogroundbeeftoreduceitsoverallfatcontent.WritinginSlateMagazineDanielEngber

(2012)noted:“Thestoryofthisactivistrebranding—fromleanfinelytexturedbeeftopinkslime—

revealsjusthowmuchtheselabelsmatter.”Notonlydidtheensuingmedia-createdfirestorminfluence

consumerperceptions,itresultedinthelossof650jobsatBeefProductsInc.whichwasforcedtoclose

permanently3ofthecompany’splantsinIowa,KansasandTexas,(USAToday2012).

Asimilardisconnectexistsamongconsumersandtheantibiotic-freecharacterizationofmeat.

Despitetheindustry’sadherencetowithdrawaltimesforantibiotics,decadesofwell-documented

studies,thesciencebehindtheirjudicioususeintherearingoflivestockandstrictgovernment


oversight,themessagethatallmeatsoldintheUSisalreadyfreefromantibioticshaslargelybeenlost

ontheUSconsumer.Cervantes(2015)shedsadditionallight:

TrendsinconsumerpreferenceslikebuyingABF[antibiotic-free]productsarelargelybasedon

perceptionthanscientificfacts.Forexample,mostconsumersdonotrealizethatallchicken

meatisABForcontainlevelsbelowtolerancesconsideredsafeforhumans.Regulatory

agencies…fordecadeshaveroutinelymonitoreddrugresiduesbysamplingandtestingtissues

toensurethatnodrugresidues(includingantibiotics)arefoundabovethetoleranceor

maximumresiduelimit(MRL)Establishedforeachdrug.

ThespringissueofAmazingWellnessMagazineoffersatypicalmischaracterizationofbeef

raisedaccordingtocurrentindustrypractices.Inanarticleentitled“SmarterFats”theauthorwrites,

“Grassfedmeatisahealthfood.Factory-farmedmeatisatoxicwastedump,”(Bowden,2016).

Consumer-directedmessagesbasedonjunkscienceandrepeatedfrequentlybythemediaarewhat

formconsumers’preferencesforgrass-fed,natural,andantibiotic-freepoultry,beefandpork.

Andsoitcontinues.MeatproducerslikeTysonandPerduehavebothmaderecent

announcementsthattheyaremovingtowardsmoreantibiotic-freeofferingsintheyearsahead.

TheWallStreetJournalrecentlyreportedthatthenumber3U.S.poultryproducer,Perdue

Farms,Inc.willbeeliminatingantibioticscompletelyfromsomeoftheirchickensthatarerearedfor

manufactureintoprocessedproductssuchasnuggetsandstrips,(Bunge,Jacob,2016).DubbedNo

AntibioticsEver,Perdueassuresitscustomers,“ChickensraisedforPerdueFoodsneverreceive

antibioticsforgrowthpromotion,nordoweaddhumanantibioticstothefeed…Chickensmarketedas

no-antibiotics-everandorganicneverreceiveanyantibiotics.ButPerdueincludesadisclaimeratthe

bottomofthesamepageoftheirwebsite:


Chickensnotraisedfortheorganicandno-antibiotics-everprogramaregenerallytreatedto

preventcommonintestinalillnessesusingionophores.Ionophoresareatypeofanimal-only

antibioticnotusedinhumanmedicine,andarenotassociatedwithantibacterialresistancein

humanmedicine.-Aspartofouranimalwelfarecommitment,shouldanimalsbecomeill–

includingorganicandno-antibiotics-ever–theywillbetreatedasmedicallyappropriate.

However,ifantibioticsareused,thoseanimalsarenotmarketedasno-antibiotics-everor

organic.Inthoserarecases,federallymandatedwithdrawalperiodsensureproductsarefreeof

antibiotic-residueasdefinedbytheUSDA,(PerdueFarmsInc.,NewsRoomStatementsand

Comments).

WithPerdueFarmsallbutadmittingthatchickenstreatedwithantibioticswillstillresultin

productsthatareantibiotic-free,whatisthedifferencetotheconsumer?

TheIssueofAntibiotic-resistantSuperBugs

Antibioticsandsimilardrugscalledantimicrobialshavebeenusedforthelast70yearstotreat

infectiousdiseases,(CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention,2015).Insomerarecases,bacteria

haveacquiredantibioticresistancetoincreasinglystrongerantibioticsposingserious,life-threatening

consequences.

InapaperpublishedinClinicalInfectiousDiseases(Spellberg,etal2007)theauthorsexplainthe

“breadthofeffectandsignificantimpactonmorbidity”thatantibiotic-resistantbacteriaplaceonhuman

healthandwell-being:

Weareinthemidstofanemergingcrisisofantibioticresistanceformicrobialpathogensinthe

UnitedStatesandthroughouttheworld.Epidemicantibioticresistancehasbeendescribedin

numerouspathogensinvaryingcontexts,including—butnotlimitedto—aglobalpandemicof


methicillin-resistantStaphylococcusaureus(MRSA)infection;theglobalspreadofdrug

resistanceamongcommonrespiratorypathogens,includingStreptococcuspneumoniae

andMycobacteriumtuberculosis;andepidemicincreasesinmultidrug-resistant(and,

increasingly,trulypan-resistant)gram-negativebacilli...Giventheirbreadthofeffectand

significantimpactonmorbidityandmortality,multidrug-resistantmicrobesareconsidereda

substantialthreattoUSpublichealthandnationalsecuritybytheNationalAcademyofScience's

InstituteofMedicine,thefederalInteragencyTaskForceonAntimicrobialResistance

(InteragencyTaskForce),andtheInfectiousDiseasesSocietyofAmerica(IDSA).

Addtothisconcern,thatoftheUSDAregardingthepotentialforantibiotic-resistantmicrobesin

livestockjumpingtohumansandthestageissetforimaginingaworst-casescenario.Mathews(2001)

explains,“Thespecterofresistantlivestockdiseasesaffectinghumans,humanhealth,andhumanhealth

carepracticeshasheightenedconcernsaboutlivestockdruguseandmotivatedregulatoryactions.”

ThemostrecentoftheseregulatoryactionshavebeentwoFDAguidancedirectives;#209and

#213,callingforthevoluntarywithdrawalofantibioticsusedinsub-therapeuticdosagesforgrowth

promotionandveterinaryoversightofmedicallyimportantantimicrobials.Whilemanyintheindustry

haveissuedpressreleasesoutliningplanstocurbtheuseofantibioticsusedforgrowthpromotion,and

allOTCantibioticswillbescriptedbeginningJanuary1,2017,theconsensusisthattheoveralluseof

antibioticswillnotgodown,(AnimalHealthInstitute,2014).

SuchwasthecaseinDenmarkduringthemid-1990swhentheEuropeanUnionphasedoutthe

useofantibioticsinlivestockforgrowthpromotion,(AFACT,2009).Denmarkwasthefirst,issuinga

voluntarybanin1998whichbecamecompulsoryin2000.Theresultwasanincreaseindeathand

diseaseamonglivestockandthegreateruseofantibioticstocontrolandtreatdisease.“Althoughthe

overalluseofantibioticsisstilldownsomewhat,…Totalusedeclinedby30percentbetween1997and


2005…quantitiesusedfortherapeuticpurposesincreasedby135percentbetween1996and2005,”

(AFACT,2009).Ontopofthis,therewas“littleevidencetosuggestthatantibioticresistanceinhumans

hasdeclined,whichwasthepurposeoftheban,”(AFACT,2009).

Inadocumententitled“UKFiveYearAntimicrobialResistanceStrategy2013to2018,”the

reportstates“Increasingscientificevidencesuggeststhattheclinicalissueswithantimicrobialresistance

thatwefaceinhumanmedicineareprimarilytheresultofantibioticuseinpeopleratherthantheuseof

antibioticsinanimals.”

Cervantes(2015)explains,“Thereislittleconvincingscientificevidencethattheuseof

antibioticsinfood-producinganimalsiscontributingtotheantibioticresistanceissuesthatarerelevant

tohumanmedicine.Howeverpublicperceptioninfirstworldcountriessuggeststhatconsumersbelieve

thistobetrue.”

TheSurvey

Wesurveyed76consumerstogainaperspectiveabouttheirpreferencesformeatandtheir

knowledgeaboutlivestockrearingpracticesincludingwhattheykneworhadreadorheardabout

antibioticresiduesinmeatandantibioticresistantbacteria.Thesamplerepresentedseveralethnic

backgroundsincludingWhite,HispanicandAfrican-American.Students,housewivesandprofessionals

wereamongthepeoplesurveyed.Sixty-sevenpercentreportedtheyweremarried,63%thattheywere

solelyresponsibleforthegroceryshoppingintheirhouseholdand80%saidtheypurchasedtheirmeat

atagrocerystoreasopposedtoabutchershop.Meatpreferencesincludedchicken,beef,pork,

combinationsofthethreeandseveralrespondentswroteinveal,fishandseafood.Table1andFigure1

showaclearpreferenceforchickenalone,(50%)whichincreasedto58%incombinationwithbeefand


Millennials26%

Gen-X29%

Boomers38%Silent,2%

NR5%

Misc.7%

AgesofRespondents

to70%withbeefandpork.Only17%oftherespondentspreferredbeefalone.Nonechoseporkasa

solepreference.

Table1

Preference Respondents %

ChickenOnly 38 50

BeefOnly 13 17

Chicken,Beef&Pork 9 12

Chicken&Beef 6 8

Beef&Fish 1 1

Agesrangedfrom21to71-yearsoldwithamedianof45.5,comprisingapopulationof26%

Millennials,29%Gen-X-ers,38%BabyBoomers,2%Silentand5%whodidn’treporttheirage.Thisdata

isrepresentedbelowintableandgraphicalform,(Table2,Figure2).

Table2

NumberofRespondents 76

Married 51

Single 25

Alwaysdotheshopping 48

Sometimesdotheshopping 25

Buymeatatgrocerystore 61

Buymeatatbutchershop 5

Buymeatatbothplaces 9

Figure1

Figure2


Inadditiontopopulationdata,shoppinghabitsandmeatpreferences,respondentscompleteda

3-pagequestionnaireconsistingof22questions.Thefirst17questionsrequiredanumericalanswer

rangingfrom1to5,thechoicesbeingasfollows:1-Istronglyagree,2-Iagree,3-Ihavenoopinion,4-

Idisagreeand5-Istronglydisagree.These17questionswerefollowedbyfiveadditionalquestions

requiringeitherayesornoresponse.Theresponsesforthefirst17questionswereaveragedand

reportedasarangebetween1-5inthetablebelowalongwiththeanswerstotheyesornoquestions

whichweretabulatedasaverageswitharangebetween0-100%byassigningthedummyvariablesone

toyesresponsesandzerotonoresponses.

TABLE3KEYQuestions1-17:1-Istronglyagree,2-Iagree,3-Ihavenoopinion,4-Idisagreeand5-Istronglydisagree

Ilovemeatandeatitregularly. 2.3 Livestockdeservestoberaisedinasdiseasefreeanenvironmentaspossible.

1.3

Ibuywhatevermeatisonsale. 3.6 Whenlivestockbecomessickitshouldbetreatedwithmedicine.

2.1

ThepriceofmeatIbuyformyfamilyisimportanttome.

2.2 Antibioticsshouldbeusedtocureandpreventthespreadofinfectioninaflockorherd.

2.2

Ialwayslookforsalesonmeatinthepaperbeforeshopping.

3.6 IwouldpurchaseABFmeatinsteadofthemeatIcurrentlypurchase.

2.2

WhenIfindmeatonsaleIbuyextraandfreezeit.

3.3 IwouldpurchaseABFmeatinsteadofthemeatIcurrentlypurchaseevenifIhadtopaymore.

2.5

Idon’tpayattentiontomeatprices.WhateverIneedatthetimeIpurchase.

3.2 IwouldpurchaseABFmeatinsteadofthemeatIcurrentlypurchaseevenifIhadtopaytwiceasmuch.

3.3

Whenweeatout,weordermeatdishes.

2.5 Ihaveread/heardthereareantibioticresiduesinmeat

71%

Iorderorganicor“grassfed”beef. 3.3 Ihaveread/heardthattheFDAlongagobannedthesaleofmeat,milkordairyproductscontainingantibioticresidues.

20%

IhaveheardlivestockisroutinelyfedantibioticsinfeedanddrinkingwaterandI’mOKwiththat.

3.7 Ihaveread/heardtherearesuperbugsthathavebecomeresistanttoantibioticsduetotheiruseinlivestock.

46%

IhaveheardthatlivestockisraisedintightquartersandI’mOKwiththat.

3.9 Ihaveread/heardthatthesesuperbugscaninfecthumansandposeaserioushealthrisk.

47%

Livestockdeservestobetreatedhumanely.

1.8 Ihaveread/heardthatthesesuperbugsarespeciesspecificandthereisnoevidencethattheycanjumptohumansandposeaserioushealthrisk.

13%


DiscussionandConclusions

The17questionsgradedonetofivedealtwithmeatbuyinganddiningpreferences(questions

1-8)andwhattherespondentsunderstoodorhadreadorheardaboutlivestockrearingpractices

(questions9-17).Thefirsteightquestionsrevealedagreementamongtherespondentsthattheyloveto

eatmeatandeatitregularly,(2.3)andthatthepricetheypayisimportanttothem,(2.2).

Notwithstanding,therewasabiastowardsdisagreementthattheypurchasedmeatonsale,(3.6)and

boughtextratofreezeforafuturemeal,(3.3).Therewasagreementthatwhentheyeatout,theyorder

meat,(2.5)butabiastowardsdisagreementaboutorderinggrass-fedbeef,(3.3).

Respondentsshowedtheirstrongestdisagreementtowardslivestockbeingroutinelyfed

antibiotics,(3.7)andthatlivestockisoftenraisedintightquarters,(3.9).Theywereinstrongagreement

thatlivestockshouldbetreatedhumanely,(1.8)andinevenstrongeragreementthatlivestockshouldbe

raisedinasdisease-freeenvironmentaspossible,(1.3).Whenlivestockbecomessicktherewas

agreementthatmedicineshouldbeadministered,(2.1)andspecificallyantibioticswhenthereistherisk

ofthespreadofinfectioninaflockoraherd,(2.3).

TherewasagreementthatrespondentswouldpurchaseABFmeatinsteadofthemeatthey

werecurrentlypurchasing,(2.2)eveniftheyhadtopaymoreforit(2.5)butnotiftheyhadtopaytwice

asmuch,(3.3).

Responsestothefiveyesornoquestionswereespeciallyrevealing.Seventy-onepercentsaid

theyhadreadorheardthereareantibioticresiduesinmeatwhileonly20%saidtheyhadreadorheard

thattheFDAhadlongagobannedthesaleofmeat,milkanddairyproductscontainingantibiotic

residues.Forty-sixpercentsaidtheyhadreadorheardaboutantibiotic-resistantsuperbugsasaresult

ofcurrentlivestockrearingpracticesusingantibioticsandalmostthesameamount(47%)saidtheyhad


readorheardthatthesebugscaninfecthumansandposeaserioushealthrisk.Butonly13%saidthat

theyhadreadorheardthatthereisnoevidenceforthis.

Oursurveyrevealedthatalargemajorityofconsumers(71%)believethattheirmeatcontains

antibioticresiduesandarewillingtopaymoreforantibiotic-freemeatdespitethefactthatallmeatsold

intheUSisalreadyantibiotic-freebylaw,whetherlabelednatural,organicorantibioticfree.

Additionally,only20%saidtheyhadheardthattheFDAbannedthesaleofmeatcontainingantibiotic

residues.Fewerstill(13%)saidtheyknewtherewasnoevidencetosupportthetheorythatantibiotic

resistanceinbacteriainlivestockposesathreattohumans.

RickDeLuca,PresidentofMerckAnimalHealthrecentlyspokeattheFirstEuropeanAnimal

HealthInvestmentForumheldinLondoninFebruary2016saying,“Thelackofscientificdataand

pressurefromconsumersisbeingdirectlyfeltbyfarmers.Socialmediameanssmallgroupsnowhave

bigvoicesandthereisalotofconjecture…Thereareconsumerpressuresontheantibioticsspaceandin

animalwelfare.”JoachimHasenmaier,memberofBoehringerIngelheim’scorporateboardforanimal

healthalsospoke,saying,“Thereisaclearstandonantibiotics–consumersandpoliticianshave

decided.Ifwedon’tconvinceconsumerstherearenoresiduesinanimalmeat,meatconsumptionwill

decline,”(Harvey,Lazell,2016).

Consumersmustbeeducatedaboutthesciencebehindthenecessityforthejudicioususeof

antimicrobialsincludingantibioticsintherearingoflivestockforhumanconsumption.Theyalsoneedto

bemadeawareoftheindustrysafeguardswhichalongwithstrictgovernmentoversighthavebeenin

placefordecades,protectingthemfromantibioticresiduesinthemeattheycurrentlypurchase.Thisis

largelytheresponsibilityofthemeatproducers.TheyshouldbeleadingthewayinassuringtheUS

consumerthattheirmeatissafe,healthy,andantibiotic-freedespitetheuseofantibioticsinlivestock

rearing.Insteadofplayingontheunfoundedfearsofill-informedconsumers,meatproducers,througha


varietyofmedia,bothtraditional—anationalmarketingcampaignperhaps—andsocial,shouldbeatthe

forefrontofthiscampaign,assuringconsumerstheyhavenothingtoworryabout.

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