Agricultural News
Dr. Nevil Speer Rebuts Excessive EWG Claims on Antibiotic Resistence Dangers in Meat
Wed, 17 Apr 2013 17:43:16 CDT
The Environmental Working Group on Tuesday issued a news release which claims that consumers are endangered by meats which tested positive for certain forms of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The release then went on to point the finger at animal agriculture as somehow being responsible, claiming that producers use antibiotics unnecessarily.
Radio Oklahoma Network Farm Director Ron Hays spoke with Dr. Nevil Speer from Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green about the use of such scare tactics to stampede the public. (You can listen to the full interview by clicking on the LISTEN BAR at the bottom of this story.)
"When we talk about super bugs and antibiotic resistance, it's an important issue to all of us and that's whether we're in public health or animal health," Speer said.
He says it is often implied by animal rights activists that animal producers and animal health professionals don't take that issue seriously.
"We take it very seriously. In fact, we've lost some effectiveness of antibiotics on the animal health side and that's concerning."
The EWG news release claims that there is a superbug crisis in this country and blames "unnecessary antibiotic usage by factory farms that produce most of the 8.9 billion animals raised for food in the U.S. every year." Speer says that such a claim is simplistic and could do more harm than good.
"What we have to be mindful of is that this is a highly-complex issue. There are still a lot of things that we are discovering that we still don't understand, but the key in all of this is we need to differentiate between concern and what's actual risk. There might be a concern out there that does not necessarily represent true risk and if we chase down a rabbit that doesn't really represent what's going on, then it becomes a false solution."
Speer says the EWG release is really nothing new, and is designed to mislead the public and demonize livestock producers.
"Often, what gets cited along with that is that 85 percent of all antibiotic sales goes to animals. What happens is that within that we don't differentiate that about 30 to 40 percent of that is ionophores which have no human equivalent. And when we talk about sales in animals we also have to remember that we have companion animals in there-horses, dogs, cats, what have you. And so it's very easy to take an 80-percent number and make an issue out of it, but when we break it down it becomes a little less concerning and a little more real about what's really going on out there."
The EWG release also implies that FDA is more of a bystander in the issue of antibiotic use in animals. EWG also claims, "Pharmaceutical makers have powerful financial incentives to encourage abuse of antibiotics in livestock operations." Speers says those claims are unfounded.
"I can't speak for the animal health companies, but my guess is if you talk to most of them as they deal with the FDA they would say to the contrary that they have been stricter and harder to deal with to get any kind of approval in the last ten years or so. It's been difficult."
Speers agrees that there is a concerted effort by groups that simply don't like how animals are handled and produced in modern agriculture and will use scare tactics to stir up the public.
"I think that's right. And often what happens is that we in animal agriculture get painted as we're not taking this issue seriously. We take this issue very seriously and we're addressing it pretty actively."
At the end of the day, Speer says, consumers need to make sure they have the facts on this issue to set their minds at ease about the actual safety of their food.
"I think consumers need to know we take this issue seriously. We're actively addressing it. We're concerned about resistance. They also need to be mindful that their food is safe. It's abundant. It's wholesome and I always encourage consumers to ask questions. Don't take things at face value on either side of the discussion. Be active about it, and we'll respond."
He went on to say that not using antibiotics in livestock is simply unthinkable if one truly cares about the well-being of animals.
"There's no question. I can't imagine us not using antibiotics. It's an issue of animal welfare at that point."
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