On Tuesday, September 9, 2014, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and the Berkeley City Council passed resolutions supporting national legislation to stop the abuse of antibiotics on factory farms. San Francisco is the first major city in California to pass such a resolution.
Eighty percent of antibiotics used in this country are given to animals on factory farms for weight gain and to reduce the risk of illness in crowded and filthy conditions. These types of use create antibiotic resistant bacteria, called “superbugs”, that cannot be destroyed by drugs. The bacteria make the leap to humans, making infections difficult or impossible to treat. Food & Water Watch commends these public officials for recognizing the urgency of the matter.
The Berkeley resolution also supports the Protection of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act (PAMTA) sponsored by U.S. Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA). This Act would require the FDA to reevaluate animal feed approvals with antibiotics.
Food & Water Watch has worked with more than 20 cities to pass these resolutions. Other cities in California and around the country are expected to pass such measures in the future.
Everyone needs to adopt a vegan lifestyle and let all the animals live! But, this is great news regarding antibiotics.