Antibiotic Overuse in Livestock Puts North Carolinians at Risk

North Carolina has scored a new number-one ranking - but this isn't necessarily one to brag about.

The state tied with Iowa for first place in the use of antibiotics as livestock feed additives, according to a report released today by Environmental Defense. North Carolina uses an estimated 3 million pounds of antibiotic feed additives annually - the same quantity of antibiotics estimated to be used each year in human medicine nationwide.

Consequently, North Carolina residents are at elevated risk of health problems related to antibiotic overuse, such an infection with antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

"Feeding antibiotics to animals is not only a major cause of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the human food supply, but also results in the presence of resistant bacteria in animals and in their waste," says ED senior scientist and report co-author Rebecca Goldburg. "Those bacteria can in turn colonize and infect farm workers, as well as contaminate water, air and soil."

Duplin and Sampson counties in Eastern North Carolina are the top two counties in the United States for estimated annual antibiotic feed use, at about 450,000 pounds and 400,000 pounds respectively.

ED researchers prepared their estimates using new data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture on the numbers of animals per county. They then multiplied those figures by estimates previously developed by the Union of Concerned Scientists on the amount of feed-added antibiotics consumed per animal. Antibiotics are not added to feed to treat sick animals but to promote growth and prevent disease.

In response to public concern over antibiotic overuse, a growing number of North Carolina livestock farmers are offering meat raised by more natural methods, such as pasture-based farming. Among the North Carolina farmers offering antibiotic-free meats are Clover C Farm in Bunn, Triple B Farms in Oxford, Smith Farms in Ennice and Springhouse Meats in Fairview.