WASHINGTON – The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) on Thursday urged lawmakers not to restrict the use of antibiotics in pork production.

Testifying on behalf of NPPC during a congressional hearing, Dr. Craig Rowles, a veterinarian and partner with Elite Pork in Carroll, Iowa, told the House Agriculture Committee’s livestock subcommittee that pork producers use antibiotics to keep their animals healthy and produce safe, nutritious and quality pork. He reportedly said that producers work with their veterinarians to decide how, when and which antibiotics are administered.

Rowles pointed out that the U.S. pork industry has established programs – the Pork Quality Assurance Plus and the Take Care: Use Antibiotics Responsibly programs – that include principles and guidelines on antibiotic use that help protect animal and public health and animal well-being.

He said that banning certain antibiotics, as was done in Denmark, could have detrimental effects on pig mortality and even public health. Additionally, he told the committee, a ban would reportedly raise producers’ production costs by more than $700 million over 10 years.

Source: National Pork Producers Council