Source:  Tom Johnston, MEATINGPLACE.COM, 8/19/09

The American Veterinary Medical Association on Monday issued to Congress a report that questions the conclusions and recommendations made last year by the Pew Commission on industrial farm animal production.

AVMA CEO Ron DeHaven wrote in a cover letter to U.S. House and Senate members of his concerns about the Pew report, which is being used to advocate for H.R. 1549 and S. 619, the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act (PAMTA). He urged legislators to vote against the bill.

"We question the methods and outcomes of the Pew Commission's report on Industrial Farm Animal Production," DeHaven wrote.

AVMA's response questions the scientific validity of several parts of the Pew report. Key findings from AVMA's response include:

• The Pew Commission's process for gaining technical expertise in the Pew technical reports was biased and did not incorporate the findings and suggestions of a significant number of academicians.
• Points in the Pew report that address antimicrobial resistance, the environment and animal welfare were determined to be most pertinent to veterinary medicine. In these areas, AVMA asserts that many of the Pew Commission's sub-points have significant shortfalls and lack information as to how the commission would execute a new plan or program.
• The Pew Commission's recommendations for highly restrictive bans on antibiotic use, which are also being used to advocate for PAMTA, have not been proven beneficial to public health. When Denmark and the Netherlands made an attempt to implement less restrictive bans on antibiotics than those recommended by Pew, they found that even a small decrease in antibiotic use severely diminished animal health and welfare without significantly improving human health.

To read the full AVMA response, click here.  

To view the Pew report, click here. 

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