In Anapolis: Campaign to Keep Antibiotics Working presents to House working group

*Reposted form the Maryland Campaign to Keep Antibiotics Working*

The House Environment and Transportation Committee’s Workgroup on Antibiotics held its second set of hearings on antibiotic resistance. Earlier in November, a panel of federal and state government officials and a panel of academics testified before the workgroup of Delegates Lam, O’Donnell, and S. Robinson on the antibiotic resistance crisis, its connection to animal agriculture, and the federal government’s efforts to address the problem.

This second hearing comprised a panel organized by the Farm Bureau – including Kerry Keffaber from Elanco (the animal drug arm of Eli Lilly), Richard Carnavale from the Animal Health Institute (the trade association for the animal drug industry), and Colby Ferguson and Jennifer Debnam of the Farm Bureau.

The Maryland Campaign to Keep Antibiotics Working panel included nurses Cara Zalewski and Jill Ciotta from the University of Maryland Medical System, Sophia Maravell from Nick’s Organic Farm, Evi Lowman from Maryland PIRG, and Mae Wu from NRDC.

Unlike hearings during the legislative session, this hearing provided greater opportunity for witnesses to provide longer statements (beyond the typical 2 minute limit) and the workgroup to dig into the details with the panels.

The Campaign’s panel provided policy options for the workgroup to consider and underscored why the workgroup should not rely on the federal government to solve this problem (including FDA’s own admission at the last hearing that their efforts would only address maybe 10% of antibiotics used in animal agriculture).

The nurses provided moving testimony about the impact of antibiotic resistant infections on the nurses’ practice. Sophia identified real world steps that they use on Nick’s Organic Farm to avoid using antibiotics that could be scaled up – and made a strong business case for growing Maryland farmers who produce without using antibiotics. And Evi highlighted the tide of businesses that are moving away from meat raised with routine use of antibiotics as well as our large and diverse coalition supporting these efforts.

The workgroup was very engaged for the 2 1/2 hour hearing and asked important questions. Things are looking great for this coming legislative session!

Thanks to all the Campaign members who came out to support the panel – and of course the panel members!