Sincerely, Gary L. Cromwell Chair FASS Committee on Food Safety, Animal Drugs, and Animal Health Enclosure cc. Penicillin has been in existence since the first mold appeared on bread. Most present day antibiotics have been isolated from microorganisms present in the soil. The point is, antibiotics have been present in the environment long before their discovery by man.
Antibiotic resistance is of concern to human and animal practitioners.
Reducing unnecessary use of antibiotics in hospitals, doctor s offices and on farms, in this order, is a prudent step to reduce the potential for antibiotic resistance. Most of the remainder is used in animals, including dogs and cats. Many illnesses in humans are caused by foodborne pathogens. These pathogens have been present in food long before antibiotics were discovered. Therefore, it is incorrect to imply that foodborne illnesses are the result of antibiotic resistance.