News from Keep Antibiotics Working – September 2009

News from Congress: PAMTA gaining momentum!

In the House of Representatives, Rep. Slaughter introduced the bill and currently has gained 64 co-sponsors in support of the legislation. On October 7th, Rep. Slaughter encouraged House members to support PAMTA in a speech on the House floor. The Congresswoman used her time on the floor to address Senator Grassley’s recent claim that Denmark’s similar ban on antibiotics resulted in an increase in animal deaths. In response, Rep. Slaughter explained that Denmark has actually seen a 47% increase in livestock production from 1992 to 2008, and that the Danish government strongly believes that their ban has been successful (see the article below for further detail on the Danish Government's antibiotic ban). She also touched on the negative trade implications for America's livestock sector if the overuse of antibiotics for non-sick animals continues. See a video of Rep. Slaughter’s speech on the floor, and a written copy of her remarks here.

On October 8th, Rep. Slaughter and thirty-five additional members of the House of Representatives sent a letter to President Obama, urging him to request that the FDA ban the nontherapeutic use of antibiotics in livestock. At the same time, they acknowledged that the FDA process was cumbersome and urged the President to support passage of PAMTA. The 36 signatures show increasing strength in the numbers of members of Congress willing to take a stand on the overuse of antibiotics. Read the letter to the White House here.

In the Senate, the bill introduced by the late Senator Kennedy now has 5 additional co-sponsors. To learn more about the progress of the bill, please visit www.thomas.gov (legislative information from the Library of Congress).

Thank you to those of you who have contacted your representatives. If you have not yet done so, please Take Action today!

Denmark Releases Letter to U.S. Congress Confirming Success of Antibiotic Ban 

Four members of the House Agriculture Committee - Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN), Rep. Tim Holden (D-PA), Rep. Leonard Boswell (D-IA), and Rep. Steve King - made a recent trip to Denmark to learn firsthand about the country's experience banning the use of antibiotics for growth promotion in livestock. Their trip demonstrates the continued interest and debate surrounding this issue on Capitol Hill.

As a follow-up to their meeting with the delegation from the Agriculture Committee, the Danish Government released a letter addressed to Congress. The letter aims to prevent any rumors or "creative" interpretations of Denmark's experience banning the use of antibiotics for nontherapeutic purposes in the livestock sector. Instead, the letter strongly and clearly describes the success of Denmark's efforts, and documents the lack of negative effects on the livestock industry due to the ban. Read the Danish Government's letter to Congress here.

Vermont Public Radio: Animal Antibiotics Interview with Dr. Mellon

Dr. Margaret Mellon is a senior scientist and director of the Food & Environment Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists. She also is a key member of Keep Antibiotics Working. Jane Lindholm of Vermont Public Radio recently interviewed Dr. Mellon about the use of antibiotics in animal agriculture. Listen to the interview here.

If you want to learn more about the issue of antibiotic resistance, please visit our website. There you can catch up on the latest media coverage and learn about all we are doing to curb the routine use of medically important antibiotics in animal agriculture. Thanks again for your continued support and interest!

Warm regards,

Lisa Isenhart

KAW Coalition Coordinator