Ohio’s biggest industry, agriculture, is facing big changes in some federal regulations, and it may not be ready. WKSU’s Tim Rudell reports.
To slow the emergence of resistant bacteria, the Food & Drug Administration controls on livestock anti-biotics. By the end of 2016, they must be veterinarian prescribed, unlike now, and only for disease. No more growth enhancement. The national Farm Foundation says its recent summit on the changes revealed major agribusinesses with resources like their own veterinary teams are geared for the change. But, not many family farms.
Foundation president Neil Conklin says an information campaign will help. “People within agriculture, whether its veterinarians, feed companies, farmers and ranchers, all understand that this is something we need to do both for human, and animal health.”
Conklin says it is especially important to get the word out in Ohio where there are a lot of family farms and local livestock producers.