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Tell Congress: No more unnecessary antibiotics for livestock
  1. Signatures
    266 out of 500
  2. Created By
    Manuela .
    Atlanta, GA
About this Petition Pledge Petition Updates
Why This Is Important

The "superbugs" are here and they are in the supermarket meat aisle. According to the New York Times, scientists discovered MRSA, an antibiotic-resistant staph infection, in supermarket pork in Louisiana and Washington D.C. Meanwhile, a brand new strain of MRSA was found earlier this year in US pigs (and pig farmers), raising fears of even more virulent, possibly deadly, strains arising soon.

The cause of this explosion of superbugs in livestock is clear -- the routine administration of antibiotics to healthy animals in factory farms. The Union of Concerned Scientists determined that 70% of all antimicrobials in the US are given to factory farm livestock. As Pew's saveantibiotics.org puts it:

Industrial farms violate... medical principles every day by feeding healthy animals low doses of antibiotics over long periods of time in order to speed up their growth and to compensate for unsanitary living conditions. This creates the ideal breeding ground for dangerous antibiotic-resistant bacteria to thrive and spread.


This misuse of antibiotics on industrial farms threatens the health of farm workers, communities and the public.

In response to this crisis, Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY) has again introduced into the House of Representatives the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act. PAMTA would restrict the use of sub-therapeutic doses of entire classes of antibiotics in farm animals and has the support of public health officials and agricultural experts alike.

Even the Obama administration agrees. At a recent hearing on the bill, the FDA's number two official, Dr. Joshua Sharfstein -- himself an infectious disease expert, came out in strong support of the legislation. This marks the first time the FDA has taken a public stance on the issue.


But, as usual, Big Ag interests are already mobilizing to quash this bill -- as they have successfully done in the past. In order to have any chance of passage in the House, PAMTA must gather an overwhelming number of co-sponsors. When bills gain momentum in that fashion, it often paves the way for floor votes. As of August 4, the bill has 44 co-sponsors -- that may sound like a lot, but with industry opposition already high, it's not nearly enough.

Ask your congressperson to co-sponsor PAMTA so that we may end this dangerous practice once and for all.


Thank you!


Source: CREDO

Why People Are Signing
Recent Signatures

Tell Congress: No more unnecessary antibiotics for livestock

I pledge to...

The "superbugs" are here and they are in the supermarket meat aisle. According to the New York Times, <a href='http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/15/opinion/15kristof.html'>scientists discovered MRSA</a>, an antibiotic-resistant staph infection, in supermarket pork in Louisiana and Washington D.C. <b>Meanwhile, <a href='http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=new-drug-resistant-mrsa-in-pigs'>a brand new strain of MRSA</a> was found earlier this year in US pigs (and pig farmers), raising fears of even more virulent, possibly deadly, strains arising soon. </b><br /><b><br /></b></p>
<p><b>The cause of this explosion of superbugs in livestock is clear -- the routine administration of antibiotics to healthy animals in factory farms. </b>The Union of Concerned Scientists determined that <a href='http://www.ucsusa.org/food_and_agriculture/science_and_impacts/impacts_industrial_agriculture/hogging-it-estimates-of.html'>70% of all antimicrobials in the US</a> are given to factory farm livestock. As Pew's <a href='http://www.saveantibiotics.org/'>saveantibiotics.org</a> puts it:</p>
<p>Industrial farms violate... medical principles every day by feeding healthy animals low doses of antibiotics over long periods of time in order to speed up their growth and to compensate for unsanitary living conditions. This creates the ideal breeding ground for dangerous antibiotic-resistant bacteria to thrive and spread.<br /><br /><b><br /> This misuse of antibiotics on industrial farms threatens the health of farm workers, communities and the public. </b><br /></p>
<p>In response to this crisis, Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY) has again introduced into the House of Representatives the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act. PAMTA would restrict the use of sub-therapeutic doses of entire classes of antibiotics in farm animals and has the support of public health officials and agricultural experts alike.<br /><b></b></p>
<p><b>Even the Obama administration agrees. At a recent hearing on the bill, the FDA's number two official, Dr. Joshua Sharfstein -- himself an infectious disease expert, <a href='http://www.feedstuffs.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=F4D1A9DFCD974EAD8CD5205E15C1CB42&amp;nm=Breaking+News&amp;type=news&amp;mod=News&amp;mid=A3D60400B4204079A76C4B1B129CB433&amp;tier=3&amp;nid=4AA7E2C1018842F7BABE0451110ACB79'>came out in strong support</a> of the legislation. This marks the first time the FDA has taken a public stance on the issue.</b></p>
<p><br />But, as usual, Big Ag interests are already mobilizing to quash this bill -- as they have successfully done in the past. In order to have any chance of passage in the House, PAMTA must gather an overwhelming number of co-sponsors. When bills gain momentum in that fashion, it often paves the way for floor votes. As of August 4, the bill has 44 co-sponsors -- that may sound like a lot, but with industry opposition already high, it's not nearly enough.</p>
<p><a href='http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/pamta/'><b>Ask your congressperson to co-sponsor PAMTA so that we may end this dangerous practice once and for all.</b></a></p>
<p><br />Thank you!</p>
<p><b><br />Source:</b> CREDO

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