Please sign this petition if you believe the food industry should take greater responsibility to keep our food safe and stop misusing antimicrobial drugs.

Have you ever had a family member or friend suffer from an infection that never seemed to go away? Or perhaps you had one yourself and the antibiotics the doctors prescribed didn't work. This is all because of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). It's painful and scary.

Antimicrobial resistance is a growing problem across the globe that has led to extended illnesses and thousands of deaths. Scientific evidence has shown that the rapid spread and increase in AMR in the United States is greatly contributed to the misuse of antimicrobial medicines. 

Antimicrobial resistance in the animal food processing industry is especially dangerous, as it impacts the public’s food. 70% of antimicrobial drugs are used in our food. And these drugs are at an increasing risk of NOT working. Infected animals and animal products can jeopardize the health of communities and cause wide-spread illness through contamination of food, water, and air. The food industry does not currently have standards or regulations in place to prevent the spread of AMR in animal products due to the large amounts of animal manure. This leaves many consumers vulnerable. 

This petition is for the creation of a new evidence-based bill called FEED AMerica or Federal Exemptions for Effective Decrease in use of Anti-Microbials. This bill would fall under the National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria from 2017. It would establish antimicrobial stewardship programs in certain industrial animal food processing facilities. Antimicrobial stewardship will not only increase responsible use of antimicrobial drugs but will encourage industries to act effectively to protect consumer’s health. Increasing both awareness and action is the goal of this summary.

FEED AMerica proposes guidelines for antimicrobial stewardship programs in the animal food processing industry and offers incentives for companies that successfully lower their use of antimicrobial drugs. These incentives would come in the form of federal tax exemptions, which would be given to those industrial animal food processing companies that impose better practices to prevent and reduce animal infections. Incentives are important to  encourage animal food processing companies to purse better and cleaner practices without feeling they are being over-regulated. This bill would allow for greater protection of the U.S. population’s health through preventing misuse of antimicrobials with animal food products. Together, the U.S. can FEED AMerica quality produce through safe and responsible use of antimicrobial drugs in animals.

Please sign this petition if you believe the food industry should take greater responsibility to keep our food safe and stop misusing antimicrobial drugs. More information on the intervention and references are available and can be provided.