Antibiotics

The Issue

Antibiotics have been used for many years to prevent, treat and control animal diseases in livestock. Antibiotics allow producers to raise livestock for food efficiently, boosting food security and human nutrition and health. Stakeholders must encourage the responsible use of antibiotics at the global level in order to address concerns over antibiotic resistance. Biosecurity measures, good aquaculture and livestock farming practices—along with nutritionally balanced feed, environmental management and vaccination programs—all contribute to animal health and welfare, and help reduce the need for antibiotics at the production level.

Our View

Cargill is committed to food safety and animal welfare, and supports the prudent and responsible use of antibiotics to help ensure a safe, nutritious and affordable food supply worldwide. Judicious use of antibiotics prevents sick animals from entering the food supply, and ensures that animals do not unnecessarily suffer from disease.

While we support the responsible use of human antibiotics in food production, we are committed not to use antibiotics that are critically important for human medicines as defined by the World Health Organization.

Cargill favors a rigorous, globally harmonized antibiotics regulatory system that is science- and risk-based, and we support the appropriate use of government-approved antibiotics for farm animals and feed. The prudent use of these antibiotics in feed can play a critical role in the treatment of diseases of farm animals and plants. As such, their use is essential to food safety, human health and animal welfare.