Congress Introduces Antibiotic Phase-Out Legislation The House and Senate have both introduced bipartisan legislation to phase out the non-therapeutic use of antibiotics in livestock. The bills would require phase out of antibiotics in livestock and poultry within two years, unless the Food and Drug Administration concludes that use of a drug in livestock does not contribute to resistance in humans. The Senate bill also authorizes payments to assist farmers in ending non-therapeutic use of antibiotics and authorizes research and demonstration projects to identify ways to accomplish this. Approximately 70% of antibiotics used in the U.S. are fed to livestock for non-therapeutic purposes (i.e., to promote growth rather than to treat an infection), and it is now commonly accepted that this practice is a major contributor to evolving drug resistance of bacteria that cause disease in humans, perhaps second only to overuse of antibiotics to treat human diseases. In 2002, the American Medical Association and more than 300 health, consumer, agricultural, environmental, humane, religious and other organizations endorsed federal legislation calling for a phase-out of the routine use of medically important antibiotics as feed additives in animal agriculture. The National Catholic Rural Life Conference is a member of the "Keep Antibiotics Working" coalition. Visit their website at www.keepantibioticsworking.com