Fueling the pandemic crisis

Our report reveals the long-term threat of factory farming to the health of humans, animals and the planet.

Antibiotics are used routinely to prop up low animal welfare practices on factory farms, preventing animals that are confined and stressed from otherwise getting sick thanks to the dismal conditions.

There is ample science showing how antibiotic overuse on factory farms leads to antibiotic-resistant superbugs, antimicrobial resistance, that spreads to workers, the environment and into the food chain.

The problem at scale

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What are superbugs?

Antibiotic resistant bacteria — called “superbugs” — are emerging on farms from antibiotic overuse. Those superbugs are entering our food chain and our environment, and when passed to people, make us less able to fight infections.

Around the world, antibiotic residues and superbugs are contaminating waterways and local environments around factory farms. This is a global issue, with contaminants entering our food crops, soil and waterways mostly unmonitored.

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Link to pandemics

Keeping large numbers of genetically uniform animals in overcrowded, confined conditions can lead to the emergence and spread of viruses with the potential to infect humans.

In 2020 the UN reported that agricultural intensification has been responsible for over 50% of infectious diseases from animals since 1940.

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What's the solution?

Despite the damage to animals, people and the planet, factory farms continue to overuse antibiotics to prevent disease or to promote fast growth amongst stressed animals. This has to end.

We need to reserve antibiotics to treat individual sick animals. The World Health Organization recommends a reduction in antibiotics used in factory farmed animals. This is critical for human health.

We need to stop factory farming, produce fewer animal products and make all remaining farm animal production high-welfare.

We need to stop factory farming, produce fewer animal products, and make all remaining farm animal production high welfare. Raising farm animals in higher welfare systems that have less stress, improved immunity and more resilience to disease, requires fewer antibiotics.

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Watch our short film of a high welfare farm in Canada to learn more:

What do consumers think?

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Over 15,700 people were surveyed across 15 countries in the poll by Flood and Partners to gain an understanding of their knowledge and attitude towards antibiotic use in farming, antimicrobial resistance, and pandemic risk from farm animals. People were surveyed in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, the UK, and the United States. 

On average across countries, people thought about 52% of antibiotics were used in farming. Many people expressed “shock” and “concern” upon learning the actual number is over 75%.

Whose responsibility is this?

When asked whose responsibility it is to address the problem of antibiotic overuse, 69% of respondents said the government should do more and 71% said the industry should do more to address this problem.

When asked specifically what governments should do, respondents said: monitor and report on use of antibiotics on farms, monitor and report on pollution from farms, strengthen animals welfare laws for farm animals, and restrict the use of antibiotics in farm animals.

What's the situation in Canada?

Here in Canada, approximately 78% of all antibiotics in a single year were sold or distributed to food animals. In 2016, 66.4% of antibiotics were used for disease prevention in pigs, 30.2% for growth promotion and just 3.4% for disease treatment.

The good news is that we're making progress. Some industries have ended use of Category I antibiotics (those most critical for human health) for growth and prevention purpose (however, they may still be used to treat sick animals).

As of December, 2018, farmers require a veterinary prescription for antibiotics. This is good step, but more oversight is needed to manage the very serious and real risks. Currently this program is relies on self-reporting. What we need is a transparent government oversight program, accountable to Canadians, and a ban on antibiotic use in farming for prevention or growth purpose.

Take this quiz to test your knowledge about antibiotic use in farming

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