Sounding Off to Congress

Help us let our elected officials know we're serious about the need for stronger rules limiting the use of antibiotics on livestock and poultry. 

Anya Vanecek

It’s time we put in place strong rules about when and how antibiotics can be used on livestock and poultry. We’re sounding off to Congress so there’s no doubt that we–their constituents–want this action. You can join in here.

Last year, Obama established a task force to set a 5-year plan to tackle antibiotic resistance. They are likely to announce this plan soon and we’re eager to see if they tackle the growing problem of antibiotics overuse on farms. Current FDA regulations ask pharmaceutical companies to voluntarily remove “for growth promotion” from their drug labels, but this is unlikely to have much effect on the amount of antibiotics used in the livestock and poultry industries.

That’s why bipartisan bills addressing the overuse and misuse of antibiotics in agriculture were proposed recently in both the House and Senate. There is no question that antibiotics are endangered, nor that current farming practices are contributing significantly.

We’re working to make sure our elected officials stand up to Big Ag and Big Pharma by setting stronger standards for the use of antibiotics in farming. But, they must hear from their constituents–the voters–if they are to make this a priority. So, we’re “sounding off” with a stream of tweets and Facebook posts straight to their feeds.

Please, take a moment to “sound off” with us here:saveABX. You can choose one of our pre-written tweets or write one of your own. The application will automatically direct this post at your local elected official. Then, follow the link to sign a letter to President Obama, letting him know we want stronger action against one of the biggest sources of antibiotics resistance.

#saveABX

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Anya Vanecek