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Ag on both sides of antibiotics discussion led by White House

 

 

By MATTHEW D. ERNST

Missouri Correspondent

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The White House Forum on Antibiotic Stewardship June 2 brought together human and animal health groups to pledge responsible use of antibiotics.

While the initiative enjoys widespread support from agricultural groups, as health policymakers seek to combat antibiotic-resistant microbes, some farm organizations expressed concern about some of the details from both the White House and Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

At the forum, the White House highlighted actions by Elanco Animal Health, Merck Animal Health and Zoetis. Merck and Zoetis initiated programs to increase veterinarian oversight of antibiotic use and surveillance of pathogens. Elanco will target research at managing diseases now treated with shared class antibiotics, those benefiting both animal and human health.

Respiratory diseases in cattle, swine and poultry – and mastitis in cattle – will require the most research into alternatives for antibiotic treatment. Elanco will spend two-thirds of its food animal research budget to evaluate 25 potential non-antibiotic drug candidates, targeting 10 of those for further development.

"It is important that we don’t enact regulations or policies that move faster than available science, which could jeopardize animal health as well as food safety and food security," said Elanco Animal Health president Jeff Simmons, in a summary of his remarks at the White House forum.

Tyson, Perdue and Livingston, Calif.-based Foster Farms were top-10 poultry producers participating in the forum. Tyson and Perdue, as well as Pilgrim’s Pride, have announced initiatives to reduce antibiotic use within the past year.

Foster Farms announced June 1 it had eliminated all antibiotics critical to human health and is working to eliminate the use of all human antibiotics. "Our company is committed to responsible growing practices that help preserve the effectiveness of antibiotics for human health and medicine," said Ron Foster, CEO and president of Foster, a major West Coast producer.

FDA announcement

 

On the day of this forum, the FDA released its final rule for the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD). The rule, slated to be fully implemented by December 2016, changes how antibiotics also important to human medicine may be used in animal production.

"Once these changes are fully implemented, it will be illegal to use these medically important antibiotics for production purposes, period," said Michael R. Taylor, FDA deputy commissioner for Foods and Veterinary Medicine.

The FDA rule would require veterinarian prescriptions for antibiotics deemed important to human use. "Instead of having unrestricted over-the-counter access, animal producers will need to obtain authorization from a licensed veterinarian to use these medications for therapeutic uses – for prevention, control or treatment of a specifically identified disease," said Taylor.

Ron DeHaven, chief executive of the Schaumburg, Ill.,-based American Veterinary Medical Assoc. (AVMA), pointed to a specific provision in the VFD final rule that will help veterinarians and livestock producers follow FDA guidelines. It requires veterinarians to follow state laws relating to the vet-client-patient relationship (VCPR), allowing for harmony between state and federal guidelines.

DeHaven said the AVMA is working with state veterinary medical associations to make sure state laws match up with the forthcoming federal rule. "When state VCPRs complement federal regulations, everyone wins; it strengthens and supports the goals of the program to ensure healthy animals, a safe food supply and the reduction of antibiotic resistance," he said.

The American Feed Industry Assoc. (AFIA), whose members make more than 75 percent of commercial feed in the United States, also participated in the White House Forum. Richard Sellers, senior vice president of legislative and regulatory affairs, said the VFD is good for the feed industry.

"The final rule shows many improvements for the industry that will make the process more effective and timely," he said.

While the AFIA is still reviewing the 100-pages-plus rule, Sellers did indicate one concern related to recordkeeping for feed manufacturers. The FDA rule requires electronic records be maintained for two years past manufacture.

"That’s a concern, as we believed we had convinced FDA the two-year requirement should be reduced to one year to agree with the one-year recordkeeping requirement that appears in the Current Good Manufacturing Practices regulations," said Sellers.

Don’t mix antibiotics with hormones

 

The AFIA, as well as other agricultural groups participating in the forum, expressed some concern about a memorandum signed by President Barack Obama last week, directing federal foodservice to seek sourcing meat and poultry from responsible antibiotic-use policies in federal cafeterias.

That announcement is "premature, given FDA’s judicious-use antibiotic policy doesn’t go into full effect until December 2016, when animal drug sponsors remove production claims from approved animal drugs," said Sellers.

Meat and livestock industry groups had sharper words about a separate announcement from the White House indicating the Presidential Food Service is "committing to serving meats and poultry that have not been treated with hormones or antibiotics." Meat producers have long sought to clarify language used about "hormones" in meat production.

"Hormones are never used in pork and poultry production, although they are approved for cattle," stated the North American Meat Institute. "The White House can buy pork and poultry products from animals or birds raised without hormones at any local grocery store and under any brand name."

More troubling to meat, animal and feed groups was the introduction of language about hormones at a summit on antibiotics.

Sellers said the White House’s words seem to imply hormone-free products are safer and should be preferred because the President uses them.

"However, FDA has made no announcements regarding any safety concerns about hormones approved for use in animals," he added. 

 

6/10/2015