Livestock antibiotic use was definitely the topic of the week at World Pork Expo.

National Pork Producers Council president and North Carolina swine veterinarian Ron Prestage was among those who attended a White House forum on fighting antibiotic resistance. “Lot of brain power in that room looking at trying to cooperatively work together to face the issues and challenges of antibiotic resistance,” said Prestage, who says the pork industry has been actively addressing the antibiotic issue for years with its Pork Quality Assurance® Plus (PQA Plus®) producer certification and training programs. NPPC president Ron Prestage on antibiotic use

National Pork Board member Brad Greenway, a producer from South Dakota, says this week the Pork Board updated its position and policy statement that “embraces responsible antibiotic use in pork production” and revises the PQA Plus program to reinforce that.

“The initiatives and policy statements that we came out with in the board meeting is just to strengthen our position on what producers are already doing a great job on antibiotics right now,” said Greenway in an interview.

Pork Board intends to allocate up to $1.4 million in funding of scientific research and antibiotic risk assessment studies, producer education and consumer awareness programs.

Greenway talks about his own operation and how he uses antibiotics in this interview. Interview with Brad Greenway, SD pork producer

2015 World Pork Expo Photo Album