APHIS Factsheet

Veterinary Services April 2014

Questions and 

Answers: Judicious 

Use of Antimicrobials 

in Food-Producing 

Animals 

Q. What is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 

(USDA) involvement in monitoring and researching 

antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance?

A. We are working to protect public health, animal 

health, and livestock productivity by helping make sure 

antibiotics are used judiciously. The USDA’s Animal 

and Plant Health Inspection Service, Agricultural 

Research Service, Economic Research Service, 

National Agricultural Statistics Service, and Food 

Safety and Inspection Service work together to collect 

data and share this information with decision makers. 

More specifically, we test for antibiotic resistance; 

collect information on antibiotic use and livestock 

production practices; develop diagnostic tools to use 

for surveillance; research new alternatives to antibiotics 

(for example, vaccines or probiotics) for preventing and 

treating animal diseases; and analyze data to report on 

prevalence, trends, change factors, and strategies to 

limit antimicrobial resistance. 

In addition, we joined the U.S. Department of Health 

and Human Services (HHS)—in cooperation with 

several State and local health departments—to create 

the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System 

(NARMS). USDA is also currently collaborating with 

HHS’ Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers 

for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to identify 

possible strategies for filling data gaps regarding antibiotic use in animal agriculture.

Q. Why is USDA’s involvement important?

A. The health of animals and people are undeniably 

interconnected in today’s world. USDA works with 

FDA to make sure antimicrobial drug therapies remain 

effective for both people and animals. 

We also worked closely with FDA to develop both its 

regulations and its guidance to industry on this topic, 

sharing our expertise on animal health matters. USDA 

will continue to collaborate with the FDA, the veterinary 

community, and livestock industries to address issues 

related to antimicrobial use in animals.

Q. What is the National Antimicrobial Resistance 

Monitoring System?

A. Created in 1996 as a partnership between FDA, 

CDC, and USDA, the National Antimicrobial Resistance 

Monitoring System (NARMS) is a national public health 

surveillance system that tracks antibiotic resistance 

in foodborne bacteria. The major bacteria currently 

under surveillance are Salmonella, Campylobacter, 

Escherichia coli, and Enterococcus. 

The main objectives of NARMS are to:

•	 Monitor trends in antimicrobial resistance 

among foodborne bacteria from people, retail 

meats, and animals; 

•	 Disseminate timely information on antimicrobial 

resistance to promote interventions that reduce 

resistance among foodborne bacteria; 

•	 Conduct research to better understand the 

emergence, persistence, and spread of 

antimicrobial resistance; and 

•	 Assist the FDA in making decisions related to 

the approval of safe and effective antimicrobial 

drugs for animals.

Q. What is the National Animal Health Monitoring 

System?

A. The National Animal Health Monitoring System 

(NAHMS) is a program within USDA that conducts 

nationwide studies on animal health and related 

practices at U.S. livestock, poultry, and aquaculture 

operations. As part of this work, NAHMS has collected 

information on antimicrobial use in livestock production, 

the prevalence of food-safety pathogens, and the antibiotic resistance attributes of these pathogens over the 

past 20 years. NAHMS studies also supply data on 

what factors influence livestock producers’ decisions 

about using antimicrobials. This information helps us 

know how best to target outreach and education activities related to antimicrobial drug use and resistance.

USDA works with other government, academic, and 

industry partners to collect data and samples for its 

studies. We recently collaborated with the American 

Association of Swine Veterinarians to gather data on 

current industry practices. To study how antimicrobial 

use on the farm might be related to antimicrobial resistance among bacteria in animal products, several 
USDA agencies worked together on a study of antimicrobial use and resistance on swine operations and at 

slaughter facilities.

We have ongoing NAHMS surveys of livestock and 

poultry operations across the country to collect data 

about antimicrobial use and antimicrobial resistance. 

Recent examples include national studies on swine 

farms in 2012, cattle feedlots in 2011, dairy farms in 

2007, and beef cow-calf operations in 2007–08.

Q. What is FDA’s Guidance for Industry (GFI) 209?

A. GFI 209 is a document that offers industry a 

framework for voluntarily adopting practices to ensure 

the appropriate, or judicious, use of medically important antimicrobial drugs in food-producing animals. 

Topics discussed in this document include, among 

others: 

•	 How some uses of antibiotics in food-producing 

animals may impact antimicrobial resistance;

•	 A summary of key reports and scientific literature on the use of antimicrobial drugs in animal 

agriculture; and 

•	 Principles for phasing in measures to limit such 

drugs to uses that are necessary for assuring 

animal health or that involve veterinary oversight or consultation. 

Q. What is FDA’s GFI 213?

A. GFI 213 is a document that gives the pharmaceutical industry recommendations on how to modify the 

use conditions of new animal drugs and combination 

products to align with FDA’s GFI 209. The voluntary 

process outlined in this document involves withdrawing approvals related to any production uses and 

changing the marketing status of these products from 

“over-the-counter” to use by “veterinary prescription” or 

“Veterinary Feed Directive.”

Q. Are there alternatives to antimicrobial use?

A. USDA strongly promotes biosecurity practices 

that can thwart disease spread and keep livestock 

and poultry healthy. We also recommend and 

research strategies that optimize nutrition in farm 

animals, an essential factor to their overall well-being. 

Vaccination is another important tool to protect animals 

from diseases; USDA tests and determines the viability of vaccines for animal agriculture and approves 

their use. These efforts, combined with the judicious 

use of antimicrobials, help support a strong, healthy, 

and thriving U.S. animal-agriculture system and promote public health.

Q. How does USDA work with veterinarians to 

make sure producers receive the guidance they 

need to keep their animals healthy?

A. USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 

(APHIS) focuses on disease prevention, preparedness, detection, and early response activities to help 

producers protect the health of their animals and 

minimize the impact of animal disease issues. We 

are also working to make sure veterinarians have the 

most current knowledge on this topic so they can provide the best guidance to their clients. Finally, USDA’s 

National Institute of Food and Agriculture oversees the 

Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program, which 

was established by the National Veterinary Medical 

Services Act of 2003. This program helps qualified 

veterinarians repay their student loans in return 

for their service in areas suffering from a shortage 

of veterinarians.

Q. Where can I learn more about judicious use of 

antimicrobials?

A. There are many resources available to help you 

learn more about this topic. 

•	 FDA’s Antimicrobial Resistance Web site: 

www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/SafetyHealth/

AntimicrobialResistance

•	 FDA’s Judicious Use Web site: 

www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/

SafetyHealth/AntimicrobialResistance/

JudiciousUseofAntimicrobials/default.htm

•	 GFI 209

 www.fda.gov/downloads/AnimalVeterinary/

 GuidanceComplianceEnforcement/

 GuidanceforIndustry/UCM216936.pdf

•	 GFI 213:

 www.fda.gov/downloads/AnimalVeterinary/

 GuidanceComplianceEnforcement/

 GuidanceforIndustry/UCM299624.pdf

•	 NARMS Web site:

 www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/SafetyHealth/

 AntimicrobialResistance/NationalAntimicrobial 

 ResistanceMonitoringSystem/default.htm

•	 APHIS’ National Animal Health Monitoring 

System Web site:

 www.aphis.usda.gov/animalhealth/nahmsfood

•	 American Veterinary Medical Association’s Web 

site on judicious use of antimicrobials:

 www.avma.org/KB/Policies/Pages/Judicious- 

 Therapeutic-Use-of-Antimicrobials.aspx

United States Department of Agriculture • Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service • Safeguarding American Agriculture

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