New rules could push costs, but consumers, health advocates argue for fewer antibiotics in livestock industry

MINNEAPOLIS - New federal regulations mark the first serious attempt in at least 20 years to tackle what many have called the systematic overuse of antibiotics in healthy farm animals.

Yet the rules that went into effect Jan. 1 - and have been in the works for several years - do not come without controversy. Livestock associations have said the new rules that pertain to veterinarians will increase paperwork and costs.

But some consumer groups say the regulations don't go far enough.

The regulations require producers who raise cattle, cows, pigs, chickens, turkeys and other animals to obtain a veterinarian's approval before using any antibiotics that also are important to human health. And antibiotics may no longer be used in healthy animals as a feed additive to increase weight.

The routine use of antibiotics in animals that are also used in human drugs has been a growing concern of consumers and health professionals.

'The overarching goal is to ensure these medically important antimicrobials that are given to food-producing animals in medicated feed and drinking water are used judiciously,” said Mike Murphy, veterinary medical officer at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Center for Veterinary Medicine.

The problem is that the more frequently antibiotics are used, he said, the more quickly bacteria can develop resistance to them, rendering the lifesaving drugs less effective or ineffective.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that each year in the United States at least two million people become infected with bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics, and at least 23,000 people die as a direct result of infection.

Health professionals and consumer groups have pressed the FDA and the livestock industry to avoid unnecessary or inappropriate uses of antibiotics. Fast-food companies including McDonald's, Panera, Chipotle, Subway and others have announced policies to stop buying at least some meat products from producers that use certain antibiotics routinely.