Farm Foundation Workshop – Davis, CA Oct 6
Farm Foundation, NFP is hosting 12 free workshops across the nation to provide livestock producers, veterinarians, and feed distributors and retailers with information on federal policy changes that will impact the use of medically-important antimicrobial drugs in food-producing animals. The next workshop will be Tuesday, Oct. 6, in Davis, CA. The Davis workshop is targeted to stakeholders in California, Oregon, Washington and Nevada.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Guidance for Industry (GIFs) 209 and 213, and the agencies revised Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) bring two major changes: allowing use of medically-important antibiotics only for therapeutic purposes, and requiring veterinary oversight on use of these drugs–a prescription or feed directive from a veterinarian will be required for drugs administered in water or feed.
In the workshops completed to date, several issues stand out:
- Many livestock producers, especially small, independent producers, have no awareness of the changes taking place.
- Feed distributors and retailers will have greater responsibilities when selling feed products containing some drugs.
- The Veterinary Client Patient Relationship will be very important. This is a specific concern in areas where there are few large animal vets.
Officials from FDA and USDA will be at the workshop to answer questions and to gain feedback from participants.
Farm Foundation, NFP has served agriculture, the food system and rural communities since 1933. We recognize, however, that some of you may not know Farm Foundation. The Foundation is a non-advocacy organization that works to help industry leaders examine issues and public policies shaping the future of the industry. Antimicrobial drug use in food-producing animals is just such an issue.
The Oct. 6 workshop will be 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. PDT at Gladys Valley Hall in the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California, Davis, CA. The School of Veterinary Medicine at UC-Davis, is a cooperating partner for this workshop. (A workshop Oct. 15 in Twin Falls, ID, may be more convenient for your members in northern Nevada, eastern Oregon and eastern Washington.)
Information on all 12 workshops and registration is available on the Foundation website. Advance registration is not required, but is requested for planning purposes.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Farm Foundation Vice President of Communication Mary Thompson.