Source: MEATINGPLACE, 3/18/16

Food companies and retailers including Tyson Foods, Cargill, Hormel Foods, McDonald’s and Walmart have sent a letter to Congress in support of funding requests for fiscal 2017 for implementation of the National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria.

The letter urging funding for the plan was sent Wednesday to Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kansas), Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.) and Rep. Sam Farr (D-Calif.).

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has requested $42 million in the fiscal year 2017 budget for priorities under the plan including collection of additional data under the Animal Drug User Fee Act and collaboration with USDA in combining each organization’s data set related to the use of antibiotics.

The goals, according to the letter, are to improve understanding of the use and distribution of antibiotics in major food-producing species and to help FDA to reinforce producer efforts to ensure more sensible use of medically important antibiotics.

Separately, USDA has asked for $61 million in the fiscal 2017 budget for antimicrobial resistance research, including a $10 million increase in funds for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

The USDA funding would support research to enhance understanding of the development of antimicrobial resistance and spread of resistance genes in animals and humans. Funding would also support expanded dissemination of science-based information to veterinarians and producers and use of voluntary surveys to measure antibiotic use in animal agriculture.

The letter is also signed by Costco, Applegate, Pew Charitable Trusts, Infectious Diseases Society of America and Bon Appetit Management Co.

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