Yesterday, CBS Evening News ran the 2nd part of Katie Couric’s antibiotic use in livestock investigation (see our response to the first segment here). In the final segment, Couric reports that if farmers stopped using antibiotics, the price of meat for consumers would not soar, and efficiency would not decrease. According to CBS’ research, the price of meat would increase minimally and farmers may even see a profit!
In her report, Couric featured the country of Denmark. Their livestock industry has transitioned to farming without antibiotics. Unlike in the United States, Denmark uses antibiotics sparingly –only when animals are sick. Hmmm… in other words, how antibiotics should be used?
Couric also talks to a second generation pig farmer in Denmark who believed foregoing antibiotics would reduce efficiency. Guess what? He was proven wrong. The Danish Pork industry has actually grown 43% since foregoing widespread antibiotic use. Better yet, the Danes have seen a decrease in people with drug-resistant infections.
Now onto price — many Americans believe changing conventional farming practices will mean a soar in prices for the farmer. But, this might not be the case – Couric talks to a Pennsylvania poultry farmer who went antibiotic free without incurring a large expense, and now, he is seeing more profits!
Do you think it’s time for America to go antibiotic free?
Read more about Earth Fare’s Food Philosophy on antibiotic use here.
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Absolutely, Americans should go antibiotic free. There are very few arguments, that makes sense, to continue with the use of antibiotics in our food. However, despite your tendency or non-tendency towards a healthy and natural diet you can’t argue the science which specifically tells us the more antibiotics you intake the more quickly you build up a tolerance to them making it all that much more difficult to fight off infection. Really . . . don’t we all want to be healthy and infection free . . .
I can testify to this. In September, we decided to jump on the “couponing” band wagon, we stopped organics and went to buying and eating whatever was on sale. Within 2 weeks 3 of my 4 children were sick, within a month we were visiting the pediatrician once every 14 days and my kids were VERY sick, by Thanksgiving… both of my boys had developed antibiotic resistant infections in their ears and sinuses. In January both boys had to undergo surgery to be cleaned out, remove adnoids ,and get their 2nd set of tubes. We have come back to all organic, and the antibiotic free meats and diary. I have already begun to notice a difference.
Amanda, yes, we want to be healthy! Unfortunately, not all food providers and industries prioritize that.
Leanne, what a story – wow! We are glad your boys are doing better.