The Pork Network reports a group of five Democratic Senators contacted the Department of Health and Human Service about antibiotics in animal agriculture. The group wants HHS to finalize its rule for more data collection on the sale and distribution medically important antibiotics in animal Ag, and the data would be species specific.
In a letter to HHS, the Senators supported the proposed requirements and reiterated the growing threat of antibiotic resistance in foodborne pathogens. The letter states that some food and pharmacy groups believe the agency doesn’t have the authority to collect species-specific information, but the Senators feel the agency does have the legal standing to do so.