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Slaughter’s letter to FDA prompted by recall

New York Congresswoman Louise Slaughter says the recent recall of turkey products in the U.S. due to salmonella contamination is another reason action must be taken to eliminate “the routine use of antibiotics” in animal agriculture production.

Slaughter – a microbiologist – contends the use of antibiotics in healthy food-producing animals has led to an upsurge in antibiotic resistance among humans.

The salmonella strain suspected in the turkey products has been described by the FSIS as multi-drug antibiotic resistant and has resulted in at least 78 people becoming ill and one death.

Last week, Cargill recalled 36 million pounds of ground turkey linked to the Salmonella outbreak in 26 states. Cargill suspended ground turkey operations at its Springdale, Arkansas plant.

Slaughter and six other members of Congress have written to Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Margaret Hamburg urging the FDA to quickly move a Guidance Document forward that creates regulations for a “strong antibiotics oversight system” as well as “meaningful veterinary oversight” through the FDA’s 10-year-old Veterinary Feed Directive which she says would “improve data collection.”

Slaughter says “it is time to take action to preserve the effectiveness of antibiotics.”

Slaughter – letter to Food & Drug Administration Commissioner