News & Publications

Press Releases and Statements

AHI Statement on FDA Response to Environmental Working Group Report

In response to “FDA Cautions in Interpretation of Antimicrobial Resistance Data,”  citing that the Environmental Working Group’s report of the 2011 Retail Meat Annual Report of the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS), the Animal Health Institute issued the following statement: Statement: “The Animal Health Institute applauds the FDA for setting the record straight with [...]

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AHI Statement: Antibiotic usage on the farm is heavily scrutinized

A recent New York Times article called into question the government oversight of antibiotics used to keep food animals healthy.  Antibiotic usage on the farm is heavily scrutinized.  A rigorous FDA review process is backed up by USDA testing for residues and FDA management over the monitoring of resistant pathogens in meat, animals and humans.  [...]

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Animal Agriculture Industry Says Consumers Deserve Choice and Accurate Information in Meat and Poultry Purchases

Animal Agriculture Industry Says Consumers Deserve Choice and Accurate Information in Meat and Poultry Purchases Coalition of Agricultural Organizations Respond to Discrepancies in Recent Consumers Union Report Today, a coalition of agricultural organizations sent a letter to Congress to set the record straight regarding antibiotics usage in food-producing animals, emphasizing that consumers deserve a choice [...]

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Animal health experts discuss critical link between animal and public health during Capitol Hill panel discussion

  Leaders in veterinary health and animal health discuss how ensuring a safe food supply and managing zoonotic diseases are critical in protecting public health   (Washington, DC) June 22, 2012 – Wednesday, June 20, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AMVA) and the Animal Health Institute (AHI) hosted a discussion examining the critical role that veterinarians play in food safety and maintaining animal health as a key driver in overall public. The Capitol [...]

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Use Science In Regulating Antibiotics, Agriculture Coalition Says

Coalition letter to Rep. Slaughter on the science used in reviewing and using antibiotics in food animals WASHINGTON, D.C., June 13, 2012 – A coalition of agricultural organizations sent a letter yesterday to Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-N.Y., who is seeking to restrict severely antibiotic use in livestock and poultry production, pointing out the stringent federal [...]

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AHI Statement on U.S. District Court Decision on FDA Citizens Petitions

AHI Statement U.S. District Court Decision on FDA Citizens Petitions June 5, 2012   The decision by the U.S. District Court in New York adds confusion to FDA’s efforts to phase in veterinary oversight of antibiotics used in food animals while eliminating growth promotion uses.  The court has now ordered FDA to initiate two different, [...]

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AHI issues summary, responds to questions, regarding FDA guidance documents

On April 11 the Food and Drug Administration published three documents providing additional information on implementing its policy on the use of antibiotics in food animals. AHI recently posted educational material summarizing FDA Guidance Documents 209 and 213, as well as the veterinary feed directive (VFD).  In addition, AHI created a question and answer sheet [...]

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AHI Statement on FDA Guidance Documents and Draft Codified Language on Antibiotics

AHI Statement FDA Guidance Documents and Draft Codified Language on Antibiotics April 11, 2012 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released three documents impacting certain uses of medically important antibiotics in animal agriculture.  The animal health industry supports the process designed to protect the health of animals and ultimately public health, while preserving animal [...]

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AHI Statement on Federal District Court Decision on Antibiotics

AHI Statement on Federal District Court Decision on Antibiotics March 23, 2012 The decision by a district court judge ordering FDA to move forward with an administrative process on antibiotic use could unfortunately delay the process of eliminating the subtherapeutic (growth promotion) use of medically important antibiotics.  For more than two years FDA has clearly [...]

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AHI Statement on Extralabel Drug Use (ELDU) Rule

The Food and Drug Administration’s proposed rule on extralabel drug use (ELDU) will eliminate some current extralabel drug use practices while allowing others to continue with new restrictions placed on veterinarians.  We are generally concerned about FDA taking medical decisions to treat animals out of the hands of veterinarians. Extra-label drug use is strictly limited [...]

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