Without government action, the usage of antibiotics in livestock is projected to increase by nearly 30% over the next 15 years, according to recent global estimates. This trend poses significant risks to human health, particularly regarding resistance to vital medications.
Animal agriculture is responsible for approximately 75% of the worldwide consumption of antimicrobial drugs, with many nations exhibiting inadequate oversight of their use. In numerous regions, livestock are routinely treated with these medications, and antimicrobials are often administered to enhance growth in animals raised for meat production.
This practice significantly contributes to the emergence of superbugs, which threaten to render antibiotics ineffective against diseases that are becoming increasingly resistant. In Europe, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) incurs an estimated annual cost of €11 billion, and it is anticipated to reach $1 trillion globally by 2050. Without decisive measures, AMR could lead to the deaths of tens of millions and complicate routine surgeries, such as hip replacements, making them perilous.
While there have been notable achievements in reducing antibiotic use in agriculture—down about one-third since its peak in 2013—these gains are at risk due to rising global meat demand and insufficient regulations. Many producers are reverting to using antibiotics for growth promotion.
A report released by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) indicates that if current trends continue, the annual administration of antimicrobials to livestock could exceed 143,000 tonnes by 2040, marking a 30% increase from 2019 and exceeding the previous peak of 118,000-130,000 tonnes recorded in 2013.
However, the report’s authors believe this outcome is not predetermined. There is potential for farmers and meat producers to learn more effective practices, which could lessen the need for growth enhancement and simplify disease prevention.
Producers find themselves in a detrimental cycle where increased antibiotic usage leads to heightened resistance. The financial losses related to livestock alone could accumulate to $318 billion by 2040, contrasting sharply with the estimated $53 billion needed to eliminate growth promoters.
Cóilín Nunan from the Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics (ASOS), who did not participate in the FAO report, urged government intervention. He remarked, “While phasing out antibiotics for growth promotion will entail costs, the economic repercussions tied to rising antibiotic resistance in livestock—such as decreased production and elevated food prices—will be significantly higher and more enduring.”
The FAO contends that the efficacy of antibiotics should be treated as a global public asset, prompting governments to take action against the overuse of these crucial medications.
Nunan emphasized, “The path forward involves better regulation of antibiotic use in agriculture, coupled with policies aimed at reducing illness among farm animals. We advocate for a shift away from intensive, unsanitary, and stressful farming practices towards healthier farming systems where antibiotics are seldom necessary.”
ASOS has also called for the UK to prohibit imports of meat produced with growth promoters. Since Brexit, British antibiotic usage standards in farming have lagged behind those in the EU, which are soon to be further strengthened.
The EU and UK have banned the use of antibiotics for growth promotion since 2006, although some imports have continued. Starting in September, the EU will prohibit the importation of all meat, dairy, and eggs produced using antibiotics for growth purposes.
Nunan noted that this situation is pressuring countries that misuse antibiotics to enhance their standards, citing Brazil’s tightening regulations as an example.
He urged the UK to implement similar regulations, stating, “Extending the EU’s ban on antibiotic growth promotion will safeguard public health and protect farmers from unfair competition.” He added that the new sanitary and phytosanitary agreement currently being negotiated between the UK and the EU presents an excellent opportunity for the UK to align its standards on farm antibiotics with those of the EU.
