Large agricultural companies are fighting the Maryland Keep Antibiotics Effective Act, which would restrict the routine use of human antibiotics in livestock who are not sick. They claim that this legislation is redundant with federal guidelines (it is not). In addition, they assert compliance would hurt the industry.
In this video, we hear evidence from two Danish doctors — one a public health professional, the other a veterinarian. They speak to Denmark’s success in curbing low-dose antibiotic use in livestock. In the 1990s, the Danish government took the lead to restrict the use of human antibiotics in livestock. Denmark is the largest exporter of pork in the European Union — producing even more pork than the state of Iowa.
Since the government took action, antibiotic use has fallen, while yields have remained high — and most importantly, antibiotic resistance has not kept pace with previous growth.
Denmark isn’t the only example. In California, the largest agricultural exporter in the United States, a similar law was passed in 2015. Right here in Maryland, Perdue already has a policy on antibiotics in animal agriculture that complies with this proposed legislation. Click here to to contact your legislators in support of this legislation.
Marylanders have the opportunity to be a global leader in responsible use of antibiotics in agriculture. But don’t take our word for it — Fair Farms and our partners sat down with leading Danish experts to hear about their experience: