Antibiotic Use: State and Local Estimates

Posted: 01-Jun-2005; Updated: 10-Feb-2006

 

 

	Photo courtesy USDA/NRCS. (Jeff Vanuga)

Massive quantities of antibiotics are added to the feed used in raising chickens, hogs and beef cattle. This trend helps spur the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria that threaten human health. Environmental Defense's new report [PDF] (see below) presents state and county estimates of antibiotics in feed and animal waste.

Our estimates show that, in a few states, the amount of antibiotic feed additives given to animals raised for food is equal to the amount of antibiotics used nationwide for treating sick people. According to our estimates, nearly two-thirds of antibiotic feed-additive use occurs in just 10 states, while the nation's top-ranked county accounts for a greater quantity than the total amount used in 35 states. Antibiotics are also excreted in animal waste, contaminating the environment.

	Report - Resistant Bugs and Antibiotic Drugs [PDF]:  State and county estimates of antibiotics in agricultural feed and animal waste by Karen Florini, Richard Denison, Terri Stiffler, Timothy Fitzgerald and Rebecca Goldburg (6/1/2005). This report presents estimates of antibiotic use and excretion for all 50 states and 3,000-plus counties in the United States, describes how such use promotes development of resistance threatening human health, and outlines steps that policymakers and meat purchasers can take to curtail antibiotic overuse in agriculture. Appendix 1 of the report describes the methodology by which the estimates were developed.
	News release - 1st Study of Estimated Local Use of Antibiotics as Livestock Feed Additives Shows 90% of Estimated Use Concentrated in 23 States: Finding Significant Since Studies Suggest People Living Near Intensive Antibiotic Feed Additive Use at Greater Risk of Contracting Antibiotic-Resistant Infections (6/1/2005)
	Agricultural Antibiotics Calculator:  The calculator has two components: (1) An interactive spreadsheet that allows users to calculate and rank state- and county-level estimates of overall antibiotic feed-additive use and excretion in animal waste for different animal types, and (2) A static spreadsheet that contains the underlying estimates for each individual antibiotic and type of animal.   Please carefully follow the instructions for using the calculator, as it is a complicated application.
	More on the hazards of antibiotic overuse and what Environmental Defense is doing to help overcome antibiotic resistance.