Source: Rita Jane Gabbett, MEATINGPLACE, 8/5/19


The National Pork Producers Council has issued a detailed rebuttal to a New York Times articleon antibiotics use on hog farms, accusing the newspaper of misrepresenting the industry and twisting comments to construct a pre-determined narrative that was, essentially, untrue.

The article focuses on a 2015 salmonella outbreak in Washington State from tainted pork. The reporter began investigating the issue a year ago.

NPPC outlined the information it said was omitted from the story regarding the industry’s responsible use of antibiotics and on farm testing. The group also noted that input NPPC contributed to the story was not used.

“When contacting NPPC on Friday, the New York Times reporter acknowledged he had lost notes reflecting pork industry input for this story from interviews he conducted approximately a year ago,” the group stated in a news release issued Monday.

NPPC also pointed out that U.S. pork producers support and comply with Food and Drug Administration regulations on the use of medically important antibiotics only to treat sick animals or those at risk of becoming sick and with veterinary oversight. Hog farmers also follow withdrawal periods set by FDA before marketing their animals.

NPPC is also working with USDA and the FDA to develop plans to continue to collect more detailed data on how antibiotics are used in food-animal production and to better understand the epidemiology of antibiotic resistance.

NPPC and other agriculture groups have created a working group with USDA and state animal health inspectors and salmonella experts to determine investigation goals and effective protocols for visiting farms during a salmonella or other antibiotic resistant pathogen outbreak investigation.

Another article
Meanwhile, the New York Times also published an article over the weekend for which a reporter accompanied members of the activist group Direct Action Everywhere on an evening during which they illegally entered a Smithfield contracted hog farm and stole a pig.     

The newspaper article included this disclaimer: “In keeping with Times policy against trespassing, the reporter and photographer… remained behind.”

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