Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Consumer Reports finds superbugs in turkey


Policy and Action from Consumer Reports
Our new study found more evidence that raising food animals on antibiotics can impact the effectiveness of our life-saving drugs. If you want antibiotics to work when you need them, tell Congress to stop the mass feeding of drugs to animals.
Take action
Consumer Reports’ latest investigation confirms that all those antibiotics being fed to our food animals domatter.
Released today, our study found meat from conventionally raised turkeys – which can be routinely fed antibiotics –had bacteria resistant to more drugs than birds raised without antibiotics. Since one way superbugs can spread to people is through raw meat, it’s crucial you know these findings.
It's important to cook turkey thoroughly, and we have tips to help you avoid antibiotic-raised meat. But just avoiding the problem isn’t the solution. Industrial food producers must stop playing this dangerous game with our life-saving drugs – and a bill has been introduced to do just that!
Eighty percent of antibiotics sold in the U.S. are used by beef, pork and poultry producers so healthy animals can plump up faster and tolerate crowded, unsanitary conditions. This daily use of antibiotics kills off those bacteria vulnerable to drugs, leaving immune ‘superbugs’ to flourish and spread to animals, the environment, and eventually, us.

We’re tackling this problem from every angle. Consumer Reports is testing food for these bacteria, and making sure labels mean what they say so you can shop smart. We’re backing a bill in Congress to end the routine use of antibiotics on food animals. It would preserve our antibiotics by phasing out mass-feeding of drugs to food animals, restricting their use to sick animals.

And we’re on the ground asking Trader Joe's – one of the nation’s most progressive grocers that has already demonstrated care for customers' health on other issues – to lead the way and stop selling meat raised on drugs.
Ask your friends and family to join you in taking action – this is a problem we can fix if we all demand action.
Sincerely,
Jean Halloran, Consumers Union
Policy and Action from Consumer Reports

Less=More Provides Subsidy Info for Sustainable Farmers

Less=More is a coalition of advocacy groups, farmers and consumers that supports sustainable agriculture in Michigan. It seeks to level the playing field for sustainable livestock farmers so they can compete with factory farms by tackling inequitable farm subsidies in Michigan.
 
To this end, the Less=More coalition is making information available to sustainable farmers about Farm Bill subsidies that might be applicable to their needs. Below are links to information about the 2013 EQIP subsidies in Michigan.  For questions, contact lynn.henning@sierraclub.org.
 
Michigan EQIP General Information ( May 17th deadlines for some)
http://www.mi.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/eqip.html
Listing of all Michigan EQIP Practices Eligible for Funding in 2013
http://tinyurl.com/c9ss55o
EQIP Application Form

Less support for polluting factory farms means a more sustainable Michigan. For details, visit MoreforMichigan.org.