Ban Arsenic and Antibiotics In Animal Feed
| ******** Action Alerts for This Campaign ******** | |
 | Tell the FDA to Ban the Overuse of Antibiotics in Farm Animals Take Action The US Food and Drug Administration issued draft guidance on June 28 for reducing the use of growth-promoting antibiotic drugs for meat-producing animals. Their concern is that the antimicrobials contribute to drug resistance in humans, which could then lead to the development of dangerous antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Antibiotic use in animal agriculture has been linked to human bacterial infections resistant to antibiotics. Mounting evidence suggests that widespread overuse of agricultural antibiotics also may be contaminating surface waters and groundwater, including drinking water sources in many rural areas. Nonetheless, agribusiness and the pharmaceutical industry are fighting hard to thwart restrictions on the use of antibiotics in agriculture. The public and industry will have 60 days to comment, and the FDA will then use those comments to consider its next move. Please fill out the information below and follow the steps to send your public comments to the FDA. Tell Legislators to Honor Free Speech in Iowa HF 589 and SF 431 criminalize “animal facility interference” for shooting a photo or video without facility owners’ consent or knowledge, and “animal facility fraud” for people who obtain employment in order to shoot videos or take photos. Penalties include fines and prison sentences. Tell your legislator that photographing CAFOs is protected speech under the First Amendment, and if farmers don’t want their dirty laundry aired, they should simply make their farms sanitary and treat their animals humanely. Tell Legislators to Honor Free Speech in Minnesota HR1369 and SF1118 would make it illegal to photograph a farm without first obtaining authorization from the owner. The bill is co-sponsored by the communications director for the third largest pork producer in the country. Tell your legislator that photographing CAFOs is protected speech under the First Amendment, and if farmers don’t want their dirty laundry aired, they should simply make their farms sanitary and treat their animals humanely. Tell Legislators to Honor Free Speech in New York S5172 criminalizes “unlawful tampering with farm animals” which includes the “unauthorized video, audio recording or photography done without the farm owner’s written consent.” It’s clear the only reason for this legislation is to keep the public from seeing the shocking conditions that exist on CAFOs. Tell your legislator that photographing CAFOs is protected speech under the First Amendment, and if farmers don’t want their dirty laundry aired, they should simply make their farms sanitary and treat their animals humanely. |
| Read More About Toxins in Animal Feed: | |
| Big Farma Convinces FDA to Take a Dive | |
 | January 10, 2012 Just as everyone was making last-minute holiday preparations, the FDA quietly announced they would no longer try to restrict the routine use of antibiotics in animal feed. An Action Alert update! |
| The European E. Coli Outbreak: The Real Story | |
 | June 14, 2011 Hint: Its not organic food. |
| Superbugs: Will Millions Die Needlessly Before We Act | |
 | May 24, 2011 Drug-resistant bacteria—“superbugs”—are becoming a global crisis. But the government not only thwarts the development of new antibiotic drugs. It also willfully ignores powerful natural therapies and cures. |
| Tell FDA to Ban Arsenic in Animal Feed! | |
 | June 14, 2010 The chickens you buy at the grocery store are given feed with arsenic added to make them gain weight faster. Yes, arsenic—the deadly poison and carcinogen. A petition had been filed with the FDA to remove arsenic from animal feed and the FDA had until June 15th to respond. ANH-USA forwarded the thousands of comments our readers submitted in support of the arsenic ban to the FDA. Thank you all for taking action! |
| Antibiotics Being Used to Excess in Farm Animals | |
| July 28, 2009 The deputy FDA commissioner testified before the House Rules Committee that feeding antibiotics to healthy farm animals should stop. Experts say that prescribing too many antibiotics leads to super-resistant bugs. | |
| Food Safety and the FDA | |
| April 14, 2009 According to the editors of Scientific American, “the security of our food supply is at risk—in ways more noxious than anyone had feared.” The article refers to the FDA’s action in 2008 reversing the ban on the non-therapeutic use of antibiotics in farm animals. | |
| FDA Reverses Its Order on Antibiotics in Animals | |
| December 23, 2008 The FDA has changed its mind—again. Despite the mounting concern over antibiotic resistance, which is known to endanger human life, on November 25 the FDA revoked an earlier order that was set to take effect November 30 which prohibited the use of cephalosporin antibiotic drugs in animals. | |
