The International Poultry Council (IPC) said the global poultry industry will work on a coordinated effort to address antibiotic resistance in animal agriculture and will work to release a comprehensive report in the next several months in the next several months. This issue was part of the discussions among delegates from 20 countries at the IPC’s recent conference in Estoril, Portugal.
“The International Poultry Council shares the public’s concern about antibiotic resistance, which is an issue of global significance,” IPC President Jim Sumner, president of the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council, said in a news release. “IPC recognizes the need for collaborative efforts among governmental organizations, non-governmental organizations and the poultry sector to minimize the development and transfer of antibiotic resistance,” Sumner said.
Recent IPC action on antibiotic resistance has included last year’s issuance of a position statement on the responsible use of antibiotics in poultry production. Sumner said that the recent United Nations ministerial meeting on antimicrobial resistance has increased global visibility on the issue, particularly among international livestock organizations.
The discussion in Portugal included member countries’ obligation to ensure that animals in their care are free from disease and as healthy as possible. Sumner said that the veterinary use of antibiotics and other interventions are effective and necessary tools to keep birds healthy.
“It’s important that our industry maintain access to these forms of treatment, to ensure that they are used responsibly under veterinary supervision, and only when necessary,” he said. “Responsible use of antibiotics when treating not only poultry but all livestock is critical to minimize agriculture’s potential contribution to antibiotic resistance.”
Members of the IPC’s Working Group on Antimicrobial Resistance will continue working on the report in the coming months, said IPC Secretary General Marilia Rangel Campos. “The IPC is strongly committed to be more fully engaged on this issue,” she said. “We have a strong core of dedicated members who will continue to review the related research and global concerns on the issue in order to develop a document that contains specific recommendations on a path forward for the global poultry industry.”
