The North American Meat Institute (NAMI) and its Foundation is joining together with more than 150 major food companies, retailers, and human and animal health stakeholders at the White House Forum on Antibiotic Stewardship in an effort to implement changes over the next five years to slow the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, detect resistant strains, preserve the efficacy of our existing antibiotics, and prevent the spread of resistant infections.

“The White House event is an important opportunity to bring together leaders from human and animal medicine to address one of the most complex challenges facing medical doctors and veterinarians,” said NAMI President and CEO Barry Carpenter. “We hope it will foster a stronger understanding of antibiotic resistance and help lead to meaningful steps to best ensure both human and animal health.”

NAMI has taken an active leadership role in addressing and communicating the issue of antibiotic use and resistance to respond to customer and consumer concerns and remains committed to continuing those communications efforts, which includes messaging to our consumers, retail and foodservice customers, and the scientific community.

NAMI supports ongoing and future research for therapeutic options and further understanding how antimicrobial resistance is developed and transmitted among humans, animals, and other living organisms. Since 2012, the Meat Institute has supported the development of an antibiotic stewardship program for food animal production systems. NAMI is committed to working with producer groups, allied stakeholders, pharmaceutical companies, and animal health professionals to achieve these objectives.

In addition, the North American Meat Institute Foundation has supported research that reduced and ultimately eliminated multidrug-resistant pathogens from meat and poultry products. The Foundation is committed to continuing to work with USDA to develop actionable research priorities in the area of antibiotic use and resistance. The Foundation will also continue funding research and developing educational programs to address this area, as recommended by its Research Advisory Committee.

“Consumer health is the driving force in the production of meat and poultry products, which not only includes offering nutrient dense protein food products but also improving and maintaining the safety of meat and poultry our industry produces,” said Betsy Booren, Foundation president. “For that reason, we are committed to addressing the concerns pertaining to antimicrobial resistance.”

Source: NAMI