Antibiotic Use in US Meat Production Soars by 16% in 2024, Marking Highest Increase on Record
A new federal report has disclosed a significant 16% surge in antibiotic use within US meat production during 2024, representing the most substantial uptick since government tracking began. This data specifically covers "medically important" antibiotics, which are also utilised in human medicine, including commonly prescribed drugs like the Z-Pak.
Rising Concerns Over Antibiotic-Resistant Superbugs and Public Health
This sharp increase is stoking fears of a rise in antibiotic-resistant "superbugs," pathogens that evolve to become immune to drug treatments, making them notoriously difficult to combat. These superbugs already infect millions of individuals each year, and many of the antibiotics involved carry additional potential health hazards, such as an elevated risk of cancer.
Notably, this jump occurs despite federal initiatives aimed at curbing the use of medically important antibiotics and industry commitments to reduce their application. Following an unprecedented decline in antibiotic usage nearly a decade ago, data indicates that the trend has generally reversed, with usage now climbing steadily.
Detailed Breakdown of Antibiotic Use Across Livestock Sectors
In 2024, antibiotic use in chickens and turkeys escalated by nearly 80% and 25%, respectively. However, because baseline levels in these birds were already relatively low, even these spikes leave current usage far below the peaks observed in 2015. Conversely, antibiotic use in beef and pork had dropped to their lowest levels around that same period but has since crept upwards, culminating in an approximate 16% surge in 2024.
Advocates highlight that increases in antibiotic use for cattle and pigs are particularly alarming, as these animals account for nearly 85% of all antibiotics employed in US meat production. Steve Roach, Safe and Healthy Food Program Director at the Food Animal Concerns Trust, suggests that many factory farms are abandoning efforts to reduce antibiotics due to cost-saving measures. Some operations may also be utilising these medicines to promote animal growth.
"It's more convenient to administer antibiotics than to ensure healthy living conditions for animals in the large-scale facilities where most food animals are reared. With public awareness diminishing and a lack of substantial government intervention, the meat industry is opting for the easier path," Roach explained.
Contradictory Trends in Livestock Production and Regulatory Challenges
These increases are especially perplexing given that meat producers raised fewer cattle and turkeys in 2024 compared to 2023, while pig and chicken production saw less than a 1% rise. The 2024 data, sourced from the final year of the Biden administration, is the most recent available. Roach notes there is scant evidence of a policy shift at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which oversees antibiotics in livestock, under the leadership of Donald Trump and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Kennedy's "Make America Healthy Again" campaign aims to tackle issues like the overuse of chemicals in food, and FDA Administrator Martin Makary, as an independent scientist in 2018, advocated for reduced antibiotic use. In 2024, the US recorded over 2.8 million antibiotic-resistant infections and 35,000 deaths, with livestock and meat industry workers, children, elderly individuals, and those with chronic illnesses facing heightened risks from superbug infections.
Health Implications and Consumer Guidance on Avoiding Antibiotics
Kestrel Burcham, Policy Director at the Cornucopia Institute, an independent organic industry advocate, points out a lack of comprehensive information regarding other health problems linked to consuming meat containing antibiotic residues. However, recent academic and peer-reviewed research suggests the risks may be greater than previously understood. Studies have found that even low-dose residues in meat can affect the human gut microbiome, potentially leading to broad, yet hard-to-quantify, health impacts.
The FDA initiated tracking sales of medically important antibiotics for food-producing animals in 2009, releasing annual reports thereafter. Around 2013, the agency effectively mandated meat producers to reduce antibiotic use by requiring drug manufacturers to alter label directions, prohibiting the use of these antibiotics for growth promotion purposes.
While it is illegal for meat producers to disregard feed drug labels, the extent of industry compliance remains unclear. "The level of enforcement in this area is questionable," Roach remarked. Additionally, a regulatory loophole exists: many medically important drugs banned for growth promotion can still be administered to livestock for disease prevention. Factory farms, often criticised for unsanitary conditions, find it more economical to feed antibiotics than to implement practices that prevent disease spread.
"These antibiotics continue to have growth-promoting effects, even when used for disease prevention. That's a significant aspect of the issue," Roach added. Burcham advises that purchasing organic meat and dairy products is the most effective way to avoid antibiotics. Organic animals may receive antibiotics if ill, but they cannot subsequently be sold as organic. Some products are labelled "antibiotic-free," but this term lacks a legal definition, and meats with such labels may still contain traces of the medicine. "It's not as stringent as the organic certification," Burcham concluded.
