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U.S. federal cafeterias to serve meat free of growth-promoting antibiotics soon

Xinhua, June 3, 2015 Adjust font size:

The U.S. government on Tuesday introduced more measures to combat the growing threat of antibiotic resistance, including a presidential memorandum that directs federal cafeterias to begin purchasing meat and poultry raised free of growth-promoting antibiotics later this year.

According to a White House statement, the memorandum set 2020 as the deadline for creating "a preference" for federal acquisition of meat and poultry produced according to so-called " responsible antibiotic-use," which means antibiotics are only used to prevent, control, and treat disease.

The announcement was part of a "White House Forum on Antibiotic Stewardship," which brought together more than 150 food companies, retailers, and human and animal health stakeholders, such as McDonald's and Walmart.

McDonald's said at the event it will "develop methods to verify judicious antimicrobial use and establish goals for measuring progress," while Walmart revealed it's asking suppliers to limit antimicrobial treatment to animals that are ill or at risk.

Separately, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it has finalized changes to the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) regulation, which required the feed-use of medically important antibiotics in food-producing animals under the oversight of licensed veterinarians.

Previously, the Obama administration has taken a number of steps to combat antibiotic resistance. In September 2014, Obama signed an executive order prioritizing federal efforts to combat the rise in antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Earlier this year, the administration released a comprehensive plan that identifies critical actions for key federal departments and agencies to enhance diagnosis and treatment and limit the spread of antibiotic- resistant bacteria.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that drug-resistant bacteria cause 2 million illnesses and about 23,000 deaths each year in the country alone. Endite