This month, PBS NewsHour covered one of the most pressing health issues that we face today: antibiotic resistance. Lance B. Price, Ph.D., microbiologist and director of the Antibiotic Resistance Action Center at the Milken Institute School of Public Health, appears in the series and explains why we must tackle antibiotic overuse in the farming industry if we’re to address this global threat.
Backed by Rachel’s Network, As You Sow launched its antibiotics shareholder initiative in 2015, working directly with company management to establish better policies and practices. By exerting shareholder power directly with corporations and working with other shareholder advocates like the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR) and Green Century, As You Sow has secured strong antibiotics commitments from several of the nation’s largest restaurant companies.
A shocking 80 percent of antibiotics sold in the US are given to livestock. These “sub-therapeutic” antibiotics are contributing to the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria in humans. Now, a new partnership between Rachel’s Network and As You Sow is working to address the overuse of antibiotics on farms. Through shareholder advocacy, we’re targeting large food companies that have the greatest potential to make a difference.
When change is needed, how do you know where to start? We recently asked eleven influential figures in sustainable agriculture — including scientists, authors, nonprofit leaders, and journalists — to share how they would like to see more funds directed to advance sustainable agriculture and build healthy food systems. With a diverse range of backgrounds represented, each contributor had a unique perspective on the issue.
