The Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics has raised serious concerns over plans to build one of the UK’s biggest pig farms in Limavady in Northern Ireland. Such farms are often reservoirs of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
The plans for a farm producing 60,000 pigs per year are being fiercely opposed by local farmers, residents, and animal welfare and environmental campaigners. Sustain member The Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics is raising concern on the grounds that there will be significant risks of antibiotic-resistant pathogens spreading from the farm to local residents.
Large intensive pig farms are frequently contaminated by many antibiotic-resistant pathogens such as Salmonella, E. coli, Campylobacter, enterococci and even MRSA or Clostridium difficile. Numerous studies have found evidence that at least some of these bacteria can spread environmentally from the farms, endangering local communities.
Suzi Shingler, campaign manager of the Alliance, said: 'Intensively farmed pigs receive by far the highest quantities of antibiotics in UK farming, and we know this leads to lots of different types of resistant bacteria that can transfer to humans. The huge size of this pig farm will mean that this health threat to local residents will be magnified.' Read more here.
The Sustain alliance campaigns for greener, healthier and fairer food systems for everyone. Find out more about our activities and support us here.
Published Friday 8 September 2017
Sustain: Sustain The alliance for better food and farming advocates food and agriculture policies and practices that enhance the health and welfare of people and animals, improve the working and living environment, enrich society and culture and promote equity.
