The National Pork Board has announced the seven members of its new third-party panel on antibiotic stewardship. The list includes experts working independently from National Pork Board practices, with specific experience and knowledge in antibiotic practices or consumer marketing.

The panel has been asked to objectively review the status of antibiotic use in the pork industry, advise National Pork Board efforts in prioritizing research and producer education programs, and identify opportunities for improvement in current antibiotic practices. The panel members are:

Mike Apley, D.V.M. and Ph.D., Kansas State University
Bonnie Buntain, D.V.M. and professor emerita, University of Calgary, and coordinator, veterinary medical and surgical program, University of Arizona
Mike Chaddock, D.V.M. and associate dean, Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine
Chris Cochran, senior manager, food sustainability, Walmart
Jim McCollum, protein purchasing manager, Independent Purchasing Cooperative, Inc.
Justin Ransom, senior director, quality systems U.S., McDonald’s
Steve Solomon, M.D., former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s office of antimicrobial resistance

“We thank these leaders for their assistance and appreciate their range of expertise,” said Chris Hodges, National Pork Board chief executive officer, “From rigorous scientific study to foodservice and retail management, these experts will help us continue to build consumer trust and confidence in meat production.”

The panel is just one outcome of the Pork Checkoff’s antibiotic stewardship program, which also plans to invest $750,000 in new research projects, update the Pork Quality Assurance® Plus (PQA Plus®) farmer certification program in 2016, invest up to $400,000 in education and awareness programs, and continue sharing the U.S. pork industry’s story with producer and consumer media through outreach, articles and advertisements.

“The bottom line is simple: safe food comes from healthy animals,” said Derrick Sleezer, National Pork Board president and a pig farmer from Cherokee, Iowa, “Our goal is to protect the health and well-being of people, pigs and the planet.”