It’s been a while since I’ve shared/written a post strictly about poultry farming – I have many agriculture-related blog posts floating around in my head but not as much time right now to get them all written. Some day.
In the meantime, my farm blogger friend, Katie, from On the Banks of Squaw Creek, has written an excellent piece on antibiotic use on the farm. Katie and her husband are turkey farmers in Iowa and she also coordinates the social media efforts for the Iowa Turkey Federation. She and I often bounce ideas off each other in our communications efforts and I love that I can go to her for a “straight from the farm” perspective.
I get so frustrated by all the fear marketing and misinformation that is spread about antibiotic use on farms. The idea that farmers take no care in what, if any, medications they give to their animals is, in my mind, completely ludicrous. Antibiotic use is taken very seriously, and Katie explains how this all works on her farm – without getting to “science-y”, if you know what I mean. I think her experiences are very similar to other turkey farmers I know all across the country.
I encourage you to read Does Antibiotic Use on Farms Affect Your Health, and feel free to let me know what you think. If you have any questions, I am also happy to talk with farmers like Katie to find answers for you.
We are all in this together. My family eats the same kinds of food that your family eats. I am grateful for the myriad of food choices we have in this country, and I know you are too. Those choices are the direct result of the variety of farms we have here in the U.S. – big, small, conventional, organic and more. We need all kinds.
What I dislike is food fear that has no sound basis, and I hope Katie’s blog gives you a helpful perspective.
4 Comments on Don’t Fear Your Food: Antibiotic Use on the Farm
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Keep it up! These need to get into to the mainstream media. How I am not sure, but it needs to.
Thanks
John
I’ll keep plugging away, John – thanks!
My son raises a handful of turkeys each year for his 4H project. He raises them with lots of love and attention. He takes them out of their pen each day and walks them through the woods and grass so they can exercise and forage for snacks. We have never needed to give his turkeys and medication beyond the medicated starter. They just don’t get sick. His Thanksgiving customers from our local farmers market rave about the taste and carcass size (20-35 pounds). I could understand giving antibiotics if they were sick, but they clearly don’t need it for growth or health. Why mess with success? By the way these antibiotic free birds were grand champion breeding pen at the Minnesota State Fair last year. Yep, mom’s gotta brag!
What a great learning experience for your son – he’s obviously doing a great job (congrats on the grand champion ribbon!). You should brag about that! 🙂
For farmers who raise hundreds or thousands of birds, antibiotics are a “tool” in the toolbox that is used when needed for sick birds – and in some cases, to keep a flock of birds healthy. If a few birds get sick, then it is really easy for a virus to spread throughout a whole flock. I personally think it’s the humane thing to do treat a sick bird, if needed. Definitely the goal of all the farmers I know is to not have sick birds at all.
As for using antibiotics for growth promotion, that’s incredibly expensive so I think it’s inaccurate to portray farmers as “pumping birds full of antibiotics to increase their growth.” And I agree with you – turkeys have an amazing growth rate all on their own so it’s not really necessary to mess with success.