Half a population is always above the average and half of a population is always below the average. Producers who experienced the greatest negative effects from removing these drugs would likely find alternative strategies to replace the positive effects previously produced by the drugs. A good source of this type of information would be colleagues who experienced few if any negative effects from removing antimicrobial growth promotants. Production systems which were dependent on the low level feeding of antibiotics to prevent disease would have to find alternative strategies to control these diseases. If this happened, and with the ban which already exists in Europe, Ontario pork producers would remain on a level playing field regarding costs of production and international trade.
Antibiotics are important to treat serious infections in animals and people.
Nevertheless, this is our part of the problem. Livestock producers may receive a disproportionate amount of attention in the years ahead concerning their use of medicines. It is no good to argue that human physicians are worse. We must clean up our own affairs. Producers must show consumers that their use of medicines is appropriate.