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These resources form the basis of our
food, jobs, culture and recreational opportunities that
are critical to the quality of human life. But left unchecked,
extractive activities including large-scale mining, drilling,
landfills, logging,
and factory farm operations
can pose threats to Ohio’s landscape and natural
resources. No other environmental organization has the
experience and expertise of working with legislators and
the media on complex issues that affect Ohio’s landscape
as does the OEC. Over 100 local groups across the state
look to the OEC to be their eyes and ears in Columbus. They
look to OEC not to protect these special landscapes from
people; rather we work to conserve them for people. We amplify
their voice for conserving the landscape that makes Ohio
great.
| OEC applauds FDA
ban on use of antibiotic in poultry production |
The OEC celebrated a huge win after a
nearly five-year battle to ban the use of fluoroquinolone, a powerful and
medically-important antibiotic, in poultry production.
For decades, factory farms routinely have
administered fluoroquinolones via water to entire flocks
of poultry when just a few birds showed signs of illness.
Research confirmed that this practice accelerated the development
of potentially-deadly, antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
After unsuccessful legal appeals by drug
maker Bayer, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s
ban on the use of fluoroquinolones in poultry took effect
September 12, 2005.
The OEC and our partners at Keep
Antibiotics Working continue to work on this critical human
health issue. Next step: support the Preservation of Antibiotics
for Medical Treatment Act. Sponsored by Ohio Congressman
Sherrod Brown, the bill would phase-out seven medically
important antibiotics as livestock feed additives, thus
protecting the arsenal of medications for human medicine.
| The Healthy School
Lunch Act |
The Healthy School Lunch Act, Ohio Senate
Bill 73, would help protect an especially important class
of antibiotics: fluoroquinolones, the class that includes
the human-use drug Cipro. In 2000, the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) proposed to ban use of fluoroquinolones in poultry,
based on evidence that such use diminishes the effectiveness
of Cipro in treating human illness. Unfortunately, FDA's
procedures for getting unsafe agricultural drugs off the
market are so cumbersome that the regulatory proceedings
are still dragging on nearly five years later. Meanwhile,
Cipro resistance continues to climb. The Healthy School
Lunch Act would ban Ohio's school lunch programs from purchasing
poultry treated with fluoroquinolones, helping to preserve
the effectiveness of Cipro for years to come. Read
More.
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