The National Pork Board has taken the lead in the conversation to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria and to preserve the responsible, on-farm use of antibiotics in pork production. Last week, National Pork Board President, Jan Archer, said that real change is underway on American pig farms, with farmers themselves shaping the discussions around responsible antibiotic use. Archer added that they are the first food-animal industry to announce a stewardship plan. In their commitment to defining the ideal balance of the right medicine, in the right dose, at the right time for our pigs, the pork industry has collaborated with federal agencies to improve antibiotic use, introduced a pig farmer awareness and educational campaign titled “Don’t’ Wait…Be Ready!,” Invested nearly three-quarters of a million dollars for research in five antibiotic-related areas and named a third-party panel of non-farm experts to provide objective, independent counsel. All of this has been done by producers as a part of the Pork Checkoff program. More information on the Pork Checkoff-funded programs can be found at pork.org.
