Canadians are getting sicker and taking longer to get well - and one of the possible causes of this resistance could be because the animals we eat are also given large amounts of antibiotics, even when they're healthy.
In this week's report, "Superbugs in the Supermarket," Marketplace tests 100 samples of chicken from across the country, including popular name brands. The results -- even about organic poultry that claims to be raised without antibiotics -- may surprise you.
And if you're concerned about antibiotic-resistant bacteria on chicken, here are tips on what you can do:
1. Don't wash your chicken before cooking. It just sprays the bacteria all over your sink and counters.
2. Cook chicken to at least 165º F. Even if it's no longer pink, it can still harbor bacteria, so use a meat thermometer.
3. Bacteria like salmonella can survive on surfaces for months. To avoid cross-contamination, clean all prep areas and your hands thoroughly.
4. Choose supermarket chicken that is well wrapped and at the bottom of the case, where the temperature should be coolest.
5. Make sure chicken is placed in a plastic bag, like those in the produce department, to keep juices from leaking.
6. Get a separate cutting board for raw meat.
7. When possible, buy meat raised without the use of antibiotics.
8. If you are concerned about antibiotic use on farms, contact your local MP about limits on antibiotic use.
For further information, watch "Superbugs in the Supermarket" on Marketplace, Friday at 8 p.m.. Click here to watch a video preview.
I don't like your argument. When more people consume chicken there is greater demand for low quality, antibiotic pumped, cheap chicken with lack of regulation and oversight. There is a lot of momentum (ie chicken as a staple protein, wing joints as popular as coffee shops) moving us towards a problem which will become much worse over the next decade. We need to act now to tell broiler farmers that their quality needs to improve from here. And then they can tell us that we will have to pay more for it. Yes! that's the issue, as long as the general population is not willing to invest in good food the food/agri business will reflect our stupidity. If the bottom line is feeding people then continue to shop at walmart and costco for your food products. If the bottom line is quality food that doesn't produce illness then vote with your dollar.
Most important is your argument about contrasting our lifestyle to those in poorer (dark ages) areas of the world. A large part of the reason why these people are poor is because we create economic conditions that force these people to sell their grains to first world nations to feed the meat and poultry that we consume. So no, don't be happy. Ignorance is bliss. Every time you consume broiler chicken you are supporting a system that steals wealth and food from people in need. Our systems are not independent. They are so interwoven that everything you purchase affects someone else. We need to develop a food system that at the bottom line is respectful of the envrionment (sustainable). Our population numbers should only reflect what the environment can support. If people like you were left to promote their argument we would only have one company, monsanto, producing all the genetically engineered food for 9 billion people.
We (farmers) don't need subsidies!
This is what has occurred in the USA, and in a much lesser extent in supply managed industries like dairy and yes, Poultry, and see where it's gotten us!? Food quality has suffered terribly, and family farms (regardless of size) are no longer the diversified, relatively sustainable places they once were. Factory farms and commercial food systems are to blame for a lot of this craziness. If we don't want antibiotics in our feed, we need to regulate it. If we don't want pesticides, we have to be willing to pay for it as a society, or for now, as consumers.
If we allow more sustainable practices to be rewarded with carbon credits or similar payoffs, and charged commercial farms for their waste disposal and methane production, then perhaps organic and sustainable farms could be competitive.
It's always a telling misnomer when someone claims that sustainable farming methods are 'going back to the dark ages'.
Now, for an ACTUAL 'return to the dark ages', see a world where antibiotics are ineffective, and people die of routine colds.
Also, the issues isn't just getting the disease from a chicken... it's that it takes only one person to contract the disease and spread it to the general populace.
"Concerned about antibiotic-resistant bacteria on chicken?"
Not for a second. Bacteria can be a problem. A big one. However, reality is also that food borne diseases kill very very few people in our society, and it is a bit of a non-issue. Just imagine what would happen if we did *not* have access to the food we have. Our life expectancy would plummet, because many of us would die of starvation. Is that so much better?
Sure, if one is the one to die because of a food-borne illness, that is tragic for one, and for one's loved ones. However, think of the numberless people who stay alive because of this system.
We have exchanged a system where lots of people die too young, in horrible circumstances, to a system where only a few people die, in far better circumstances.
It isn't ideal, there is room for improvement, and we are improving, but as far as I am concerned, we've made a great deal so far. I for one vote for not returning to the dark ages of organic-only farming.
Look at regions on this planet where people have only access to "the traditional ways". Look how they live, how they die. Be happy and thankful you don't live there.
I follow everything you say for handling meat above; however, I now try to avoid bringing raw meat into the kitchen. Using a special cutting board, that is kept and cleaned in the laundry room, I prepare the chicken in the laundry room. All packaging material is immediately disposed into the garbage bag in the garage inside a second plastic bag and yes, I have taken to using rubber gloves while handling raw meat. As a microbiologist I find it strange that we do not often talk about the possibility of contamination/infection while getting that chicken or meat from the store into the pot - we just seem to ass/u/me that not cross-contamination will happen. With superbugs in raw meats I now handle it as a hazardous product until thoroughly cooked. We have also reduced the amount and type of meat we eat. There should be warning labels on every package in my opinion.
Hey thanks for putting this together. I know it would have taken you a while.
but you have to make sure that the feed you buy isn't medicated, and if you don't want to eat chickens raised on soy, make sure soy is not an ingredient in your feed. Also, the question must be raised that if anyone buys chicks to raise, what is their state of health and are they carrying "bugs", bacteria, inside them. Only then can one be sure that raising them at home is the "way", otherwise you might as well save yourself a lot of work.
Here is my rant (coming from somebody who has done 8 years of schooling in microbiology and vet medicine):
First, bacteria are INHERENTLY RESISTANT to a lot of antibiotics. This resistance started from the dawn of time (before antibiotics were ever discovered). That is why you don't use penicillins to treat E. coli. Penicillins get Gram Positive bacteria, E. coli are gram negative, so they are going to be resistant because they use a different mechanism of action that penicillin targets (thus the antibiotics can't even get into the cell to work there magic). If you test an organism for resistance against antibiotics that wouldn't even normally kill that bug, OF COURSE YOU ARE GOING TO SEE THE R FOR RESISTANCE ON YOUR SENSITIVITY REPORT. That is completely a misrepresentation of the data though.
Did you know that chicken farmers in Canada mostly use coccidiostats as prophylactic antibiotics to treat coccidiosis (eimeria species)? Or they are trying to treat necrotizing enteritis. All those animals would die if we didn't use these medications. And they would be horrible protracted deaths. Then animal welfare gets involved. Fact: organic chicken farms (and the term 'organic' is used loosely as there is currently no universal regulation on what you can term 'organic') take twice as long to raise their chickens. The mortality of the chickens is high, and they often get so sick that the entire flock is wiped out. This is why it is so expensive.
Did you also know, veterinarians and food producers stay away from A LOT of human drugs. We use the old drugs in completely different antibiotic families, like Bacitracin. But resistance to one family of drugs (whether that resistance originated in animals or by the over use of antibiotics in human hospitals) often encourages resistance to other families of drugs.
All right, say you got Salmonellosis. You might have got that from your chicken, that is true. And yes, it might be antibiotic resistant. You will only get it if you are in the habit of eating raw chicken though. If you cook the food, none of these bacteria (whether resistant or not) are going to be a problem, they will be dead. Where else can you get salmonella... probably resistant salmonella?
Well, like others on this blog have pointed out, all the chicken is handled and processed in the same plant. People touch the chicken. Perhaps there is a chronic salmonella shedder among the workers. Or they didn't clean the machinery properly. Think of all the chicken that goes through that processing plant in a day if just one machine is contaminated.
Last point: SALMONELLA COMES FROM FECES. If you cook your chicken, the bacteria isn't coming from there. That means you could have been picking your bum and eating it. Most likely you are stressed and chronically shedding the bacterium. This happens with a number of bacteria, not just salmonella.
So, CBC: Get the whole story. You marketplace special on TV the other night was very one sided. None of this, including the use of ceftiofur in food animals, has been conclusively proven. Veterinarians and chicken producers are not killing pregnant women. These organisms exist. Hospitals, homes, and the environment are dirty. Things can be picked up anywhere. Bacteria all carry inherent resistance, it is how they evolved to avoid our immune system. Yes, we can always improve our use of antibiotics in food animals, because it does select for resistance, but food animal producers and veterinarians are not the soul cause of this resistance. REMEMBER, COOK YOUR FOOD PEOPLE! and don't listen to the fear mongering and poor reporting that CBC has fallen to.
Here's the point I understand. We have to stop purchasing chicken from an unsustainable, intensive practice that relies on chemical inputs and medication just to achieve "normal" health and growth. We need to go back to the days when there were a thousand farmers growing chickens in sustainable farm practices instead of a handful of mega so called "farmers" growing poison to schlep onto the masses.
Good work but you missed an important element regarding organic chicken. Whether you raise conventional or organic they both get processed through the same processing plants which would allow cross contamination. It is not rocket science. Factory farming is the probelm.
Marketplace, you cannot leave this subject alone where it left it. I would like some effort in finding out where the antibiotic resistant bugs are entering the organic chicken. Just guessing at the problem is not enough.
Not long ago, it was indeed true that the most common way of getting exposed to multiple-drug-resistant bacteria was by being exposed to someone who has repeatedly failed to take his or her full course of antibiotic treatment.
But over time, poor hygiene practices at hospitals made hospital-acquired infection the most common route of exposure.
Now, the chicken industry has created the extraordinary situation where exposure to multiple-drug-resistant bacteria can happen in every Canadian kitchen.
The average person's opportunity for exposure has ballooned enormously as a result. This opportunity for exposure is far greater than the off-chance of running into a person who abused anitbiotic treatment.
The following observation might be of interest:
In 1974 Health Canada’s Dr. Todd stated: “A more reasonable estimate is 400,000 individuals ill every year from food poisoning.” No estimates where given for deaths due to foodborne disease at that time and the Canadian population at the time was about 23 million. The most recent official estimates for microbial disease that I have seen are 11 to 13 million cases with 500 deaths annually. The population has only gone to just under 35 million - it would appear that risk of foodborne disease has increased in spite of all regulatory and industry efforts. Add to that the superbug risk.
It is also interesting that we have been talking about this problem since I was a university student before 1966; however, now other countries are either reducing use of antibiotics in poultry or using other technologies such as phage therapy. Thought you might find video on phage biocontrol interesting:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFoo1OVa11E
Also thought you might find my following paper on phage therapy of interest:
http://efoodalert.blogspot.com/2010/12/guest-blog-phage-therapy-other.html
CBC has really opened Pendoras box. We now need to ask what are the risks for workplaces that handle raw chicken. What are the risks for carriers developing and taking the superbugs home and into community. Market Place has an obligation of doing a follow-up.
best thing to do raise chickens yourself and butcher them yourself i've been doing it for 2 years and my health is better, much better
As a livestock (pork) farmer I am amazed that so many assume we can afford to just throw expensive antibiotics into our animals. Every year we renew our Canadian Quality Assurance program, which includes justifying any pharmaceutical use. And, neither chicken nor pork farmers have any access to hormones, at least in Canada.
Perhaps the general public would be better served by getting some real science education. Pesty organisms like salmonella, e-coli and listeria abound everywhere in the natural world, in the air, water and soil. They adapt to their stressors, just as humans develop immunities - such is the way of evolution. Being higher up in the food chain, we should be doing our part to protect our species by cleaning, handling food and cooking properly in the ways you suggest. And we need to administer drugs to ourselves in responsible ways - research has shown that's as big a problem as plant and animal husbandry.
We have been poultry farmers for 40 years, and yes we do eat what we raise. You made no mention of the piles of paperwork that is done for every flock of birds. Every action or product that has anything to do with the birds is tracked and recorded. Everything from disinfecting the barns, making sure the birds are happy and have free access to feed and water (not force fed),having a vet perscription for any food additives needed and making sure all withdrawal times for medications are strictly adhered to. The least you could do is give the whole story. By the way these aren't the same superbugs that people catch in hospitals, and from bean sprouts, lettuce etc., are they?
We are not factory farms- we are the people that do the best job possible to feed you. It is not a 9 to 5 job-it's our way of life.
As a small farmer who has raised chickens, turkeys and beef I think it is important to get to know your farmer. Grass-fed animals, or naturally-raised ones, would likely not have a high bacterial count. (was this tested? I could not see in the article). If the customer does not want antibiotics in the food supply it is important to support those farmers who don't use them - even if it means a higher food price!
Appalled at the findings of antibiotic-resistant "bugs" on chicken! One of the major problems I see is that farmers don't get enough financial help to produce safe food. So, two things: 1) government must subsidize all farmers based on their co-operation with minimal use of antibiotics for sick animals, use of healthy feed (no animal byproducts for cattle or other herbivores), non-use of pesticides on grain crops and 2) Health Canada should involve itself NOW to set up appropriate rules for all agricultural produce in order to secure a safe food supply for Canadians. It will take years to "weed out" the damage already done to Canadian produce.
Another sensationalized report.Most raw meat will have a loading of micro-organisms that's why we cook our food to a safe temp.74celsius to ensure it's safe.The resistant bacteria will be destroyed at that temp.Always use a thermometer to check the final temp. No health risk if the organisms are destroyed.
MY QUESTION; WHAT FOOD/FOOD PRODUCT IS SAFE?
Stop buying factory farmed chicken. It is poison. Now my family stopped eating factory chicken for over a year and we all feel much much better. Maybe it is because one organic free-range chicken costs $23 and we are eating less meat. If costs continue rising for humane chicken I guess I will raise my own. For now its just chicken from trusted local growers. SHAME ON YOU factory farmers.
When the organic movement really became a profit-driven marketing industry about 10 years ago, I was not surprised to see legitimate small organic quickly squeezed out. First the Canadian Organic Advisory Board was forced to fold by legal action from the private certifiers who didn't want local farmers involved with certification standards. Then Loblaws and other big distributors began appearing on certification boards, at inspector training seminars, and working gradually to water down the certification. As industrially produced "organic" food became available, the small local producers were often squeezed out of business if they couldn't supply CSAs or secure a living through local farmers markets. As an inspector I saw the fraud creeping in, the cumulative attrition on the standards, the lack of oversight by people with integrity. I haven't certified for over 10 years, as I wouldn't want to be associated with many so-called "organic" producers, who, as your research has shown, are as organic as a can of Raid. Ignorance among the public and greed at the boardroom table has once again been a profitable chemistry for Big Ag.
It is entirely predictable watching USDA deregulate GM alfalfa (the first GM perennial forage to be allowed free range) while the big US organic distributors throw in the towel and vote for cashing in ...just as the Maritime grain farmers are requesting disposition to use industrial waste from the Irving mill as soil ammendments because to them sustainability has become a financial model drawn out on a flip chart by a provincial beaurocrat.
Unfortuneately, eating organic has been reduced to consuming swill from Canada's indusrial farm garbage can. Ouch.
Eamonn
In 1998, the Government of Canada created the Canadian Committee on Antibiotic Resistance (CCAR) to coordinate and advocate the control of the development and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Canada. The CCAR provided a unique and fruitful intersection within and between the human health and agrifood sectors. Working together on activities identified in the National Action Plan to Address Antibiotic Resistance, the CCAR provided outreach to the health care and agricultural communities through a variety of activities, including professional seminars, reports, information documents for specific target audiences and through its comprehensive website. The CCAR also worked with various levels of government to develop policy and develop solutions for managing antimicrobial resistance.
However, a number of specific challenges were faced by the CCAR as it sought to meet its mandate:
• There was not an adequately staffed infrastructure (i.e. secretariat) to coordinate and/or integrate AMR activities nationally and there was a lack of fulltime employees to assist with implementation. Historically, when actions were identified they were implemented on a voluntary basis by the CCAR Board and the community of practice at large;
• There was no identified lead for AMR within the federal government. The current link between the CCAR and the federal government was not at an appropriate level to move policy items ahead and ensure AMR issues were being heard by senior officials within government; and
• The funding provided to the CCAR was not sufficient given the breadth of responsibilities falling under its mandate. There was little additional funding directed towards the National Action Plan, let alone new and emerging priorities.
In 2008, in response to these identified challenges the Public Health Agency of Canada withdrew all funding and the CCAR had no choice but to dissolve.
I'd like to know which chickens were safe. they said that two thirds were not. what about the one third that were ok.
I dont know what is wrong with Rick Smith of Environmental Defence. After seeing first hand that his choices of food for his kids are very dangerous to them as well as knowing full well what the industrial agriculture complex is doing to our planet, all he could come up with was a chicken spagetti. Strange!!!
I would like to know the name of the stores where the chicken did not have have bacteria.
Thank you for researching and bringing this problem to the viewers.
A bacteria that is resistant to antibiotics kills people slowly.
I have been battling a bacteria that was the result of surgery and it is difficult to kill. I have a healthy immune system and it seems that we have won the battle against this bacteria this time. I am still have more surgeries to go and will be on antibiotics long term to ensure that it will not grow any further.
I am a vegetarian now for 2 years. The reasons are many and this problem with our food production system is another good reason to plants.
If anyone wants to be sure they are free of antibiotic chicken, don't buy chicken of any kind. A substitute is available, called meatless chicken (made with tofu). It is delicious, antibiotic-free, tastes like chicken and has the proper chicken texture.
Having just watched the "superbugs in the Supermarket" (antibiotic resistant bacteria on chicken), my first reaction is that I will never eat chicken (factory or organic) ever again. Upon reflection however, the show clearly leads one to conclude that the amount of antibiotics being fed to chickens is the cause of the problem. So how do you explain the presence of resistant bacteria on the organic product?
I would be interested in knowing how much of the antibiotics being fed to chickens is actually found as traces in the meat that I consume. What are these trace elements doing to a person's health?
While I don't doubt for a second that the antibiotic doses given to chickens is not a good thing, the bacteria are all around, and is the chicken industry any worse than any other meat processing industry?
I think your show raises some excellent points, and I don"t doubt for a second there is a problem, but the question I am left with is - what are we eating?
I have to give full credit to the chicken industry representative for doing his best while getting "roasted". I am EXTREMELY disappointed that the agency of our elected representatives did not have the "chicken balls" to face the public. It would be easy to call them "chicken", but I think they acted more like an arrogant antibiotic resistant bacterium.
My sister and I watched your show last night (Fri, Feb. 11 2011). It was very informative, but not really surprising.
We would like to know which ones had the least amount.
Is it limited to the surface (skin or skinless) and does freezing make a difference?
Hi Beata,
Where do you recommend buying our meat? After watching yesterday's episode, I'm confused. We usually buy the 'Free From' meat from Lowblaw.....Thanks for your recommendation.
Isn't there also a concern about our eating the meat that still contains all those antibiotics and growth hormones? I believe that they account for unusually developed sex organs and breasts, especially in boys, and are another reason why we are resistant to those same antibiotics - we overdose ourselves while consuming the resistant bacteria - a double whammy.
Present Canadian laws regarding care/transport of farm animals are not acceptable and/or ineffective. If you choose to buy/eat the meat of an animal that comes from a factory-farm, YOU are the problem. Stop and THINK.
Just to be clear, antibiotics in feed are not there to cure disease in animals. They are there because putting antibiotics in feed gives a measurable increase in growth rate. This in turn means more profit for the farmer, at least in theory.
But like Chris Smart says in these here comments, the actual profit could be very small. Still, factory farming is a business of very small margins, so people BELIEVE that they have to use antibiotics to maximize their investment.
I absolutely agree with this as well..for years now, we have been advised to take all your medication, and no one listens or asks why this is so important..it is a small thing where 'we are in control' of our health, and so many don't pay attention..and I'm sure there are statistics that would back me up in saying we are as much to blame for allowing these 'superbugs' to take over and create problems in the future.
As a very small scale chicken producer for 30 yrs. I have seen the demise of the small scale processing industry. We are now forced to put most chicken (whether organic or otherwise) through the same processing plants. Also, it appeared that all the product that you tested was cut-up and as your kitchen showed - there were tons of opportunity for cross contamination! Think how many times that would be occurring in a factory. It would have been interesting to see how much bacteria would have been on a whole organically raised chicken before it went through a contaminated processing facility.
I feel that if you tested the turkeys you would find even worse contamination.
After seeing the show I am even more confused. The show seem to show that while there are anti-biotic resistant bacteria in so-called factory farmed chicken, they were also found in organically raised chicken. Not sure what your point is. Mine is clear COOK your chicken, and handle it properly no matter where it comes from
I disagree. We are using and taking them too often, for no reason. And we can't get them ourselves. They are being prescribed by licensed drug pushers. Once we take them, they are in the water supply from our toilets.
How do you suggest we buy and handle chicken then?
While the episode raised many alarming and valid points, I was quite baffled by it's omissions and inaccuracies. Such as: Which 25% of chicken was not contaminated? Would that really help the consumer? Also you had quick shot of Rowe Farms when talking about buying samples, but no mention of this Farmer afterwards. Are we to assume their chicken is safe?
After watching the Marketplace this evening, Feb.15th/2011, I would like to know if we freeze our chicken products when we buy them, will this kill these superbugs?
In your program you stated that 2/3 of the samples contained antibiotic resistant superbugs. So, what are the 1/3 of the samples that had none?
Marketplace only presented 1/2 the story, if you do a story make sure you test the bird for residual antibiotics left in the muscle of the bird to tell us how much is being consumed by humans thus pertetuating the antibotics resistance in humans. take care everyone.
Very glad I grow my own chickens for my family now. About the easiest thing to do and I control what my birds eat. So many benefits to raising your own meat, it's a no brainer...
Yes, this practice has been in place for decades regarding poutry, pork and beef, and yet we, the people, still do nothing to get better laws and regulations in place. As much as we don't want to admit it, we are just as much to blame as the spineless politicians who refuse to stand up to industry. Speak up everyone...write your local MLAs, Presidents, Prime Ministers...who ever you have to, to force changes in these practices.
Chickens raised for meat in Canada are never given hormones or steroids. This is the case no matter where you buy your chicken. Chicken meat does not contain antibiotics or antibiotic residues. This is monitored by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
The first 6 tips are bang on, particularly tips 1 and 2. But, proper handwashing before, during, and after any kind of food preparation should be at the top of this list. A 20-30 second hand scrub using soap and water is one of the most effective ways to reduce cross-contamination.
Absolutely loved this special! Thank you SO MUCH!!!! I really feel that education (as you've provided) is going to be the key to changing behaviour. I would absolutely love to share this show with my family and friends - is there any link to view this online or are you able to make one available?? I think this could be a GREAT resource!
Again, thank you SO MUCH for this piece!
just watched the show first time i have ever written any show.was born and raised on a farm and have brother and nephew who raise beef.the only time they use antibiotics is if an animal is sick.i cant believe the way large scale chicken farms are using antibiotics on chickens what the hell are they thinking.i am shocked appalled and sickened by what i saw on the show.my next first is gonna be phoning my m.p on monday. thks for the insight still shaking my head in disbelief
This is very disturbing and I was totally unaware of the resistance to superbugs because of the overuse of anitbiotics. Especially the organic chickens.
Just how organic is our organics?
Hi, I was just wondering about the RawFarm chickens? did you check them?
I have not seen the show as yet. It is the headline that grabbed my attention. The reason this is happening is the dilution of the genepool in the chicken itself. The present "white-feathered" bird that has been selectively hybridized in order to meet the consumer demand for more white meat(breasts), and less dark meat (legs)is the bird has a compromised auto-immune system. The system (supply-management) is so strong, that it stops farmers like me from growing a healthy, strong heritage chicken. We need a revolution from consumers in order to change things. The farmer alone is powerless. Just look at the recent defeat of Bill C-274 that will allow GMO's to take over in Canada. We are allowing greed to ruin our world.
I can't believe you are actually recommending to buy supermarket chicken. It is laden with antibiotics and hormones and the reason for the strict handling procedures prior to cooking is because it is put through 'bath' before packaging. Read "Eating Animals" if you care for your health and/or have any compassion.
The entire first paragraph is specious logic. Yes the fact that we are getting sicker and staying sicker longer could be because of antibiotic overuse in feed but I can give you a thousand scenarios.
The third paragraphs advises if you are concenred about anti biotic resistant bacteria you should ..... In fact proper handling should be applied to all chicken, let alone ALL food.
As a scientist I strongly resent pseudo-evidence being used in this context. The simple fact is our society is becoming more and more anti-intellectual, perhaps with good reason, or perhaps from wannabes dumbing down in the media
Re: Market Place on antibiotic resistant bacteria in Chicken.
In 1970 I completed an MSc at the Science Policy Research Institute at the University of Sussex. The thesis was published: Antibiotic Technology in Agriculture. C.C. Smart and P.K Marstrand. Research Policy, Vol1, No 4, December 1972. At the time both chicken and pork producers were misusing antibiotics as grow promoters. The chicken farmers argued that the use of the antibiotics was the difference between failure and profit. (The profit was one farthing per pound of chicken!) Several times over the past 40 years the misuse of antibiotics in agriculture has made the news. It goes to illustrate yet again that once a technology is in the market place it is not easily removed. It can and should be regulated. The conclusion reached four decades ago is still valid, "Many refinements to the existing situation in antibiotic technology as it applies to agriculture thus remain to be made...Cool deliberation, shielded from alarmist and modist cries of the environmentalists, has led to considerable agreement on the need for tighter control of drugs among all parties involved in antibiotic technology. It has also underlined our dependence on technology and the facile nature of the argument that would remove it as a tool of modern farming. Discussion has pin-pointed the essential area where compromise must prevail if the technology is to operate with maximum efficacy and social benefit and minimum danger and social cost." Once more more with feeling!
CS
What about the simple fact that people (humans) DO NOT carry out their anti-biotic prescriptions properly?
For example: You're prescribed to take an anti-biotic for ten days. You feel better after five so you stop even though your Doc has repeated over and over again to take the anti-biotic medication for the full ten days.
You have just allowed the infection to become resistant. And that's by far the biggest reason anti-biotics are less and less effective.
Stephen Smith
Industry representatives should be honest and admit that they routinely administer antibiotics to chicken without any need to that effect except to "avoid" having the flock catching a disease. It is a totally preventive approach used to optimize production. While physicians would refuse to give antibiotics to people - unless absolutely needed, farmers do it every day in animal production. This is, by the way, taught at Universities and schools of agriculture (very much verifiable). This industry has so much clout that its practices trump public safety. This is not limited to chicken, I suggest you check out turkey, pork and beef production as well. You will probably find out the same problem throughout. Current animal production farming practices provide the ideal conditions for the development of super resistant bugs when one considers the range of antibiotics being used and the frequency of such usage. Public Health officials should have been the ones raising the red flag first rather than waiting for investigative reporting to raise awareness.