This is opposing the free market - more gov. control - we are to be a free country where people can do as they chose limited only by the market place. On 5/9/2011 10:04 AM, Thomas Mathews wrote: > This is about our former governor, now Ag Sec., Tom Vilsack. From > Huffington Post.--Tom (Mathews) > Laurie David <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/laurie-david> > > > Laurie David <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/laurie-david> > > Producer/Author/NRDC Trustee > > GET UPDATES FROM Laurie David > Like <javascript:void(0);> > 157 > > > Wake Up, Secretary Vilsack > > Posted: 05/ 9/11 08:34 AM ET > React > Amazing > <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/laurie-david/post_2010_b_858871.html?utm_source=DailyBrief&utm_campaign=050911&utm_medium=email&utm_content=BlogEntry&utm_term=Daily%20Brief#>Inspiring > <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/laurie-david/post_2010_b_858871.html?utm_source=DailyBrief&utm_campaign=050911&utm_medium=email&utm_content=BlogEntry&utm_term=Daily%20Brief#>Funny > <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/laurie-david/post_2010_b_858871.html?utm_source=DailyBrief&utm_campaign=050911&utm_medium=email&utm_content=BlogEntry&utm_term=Daily%20Brief#>Scary > <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/laurie-david/post_2010_b_858871.html?utm_source=DailyBrief&utm_campaign=050911&utm_medium=email&utm_content=BlogEntry&utm_term=Daily%20Brief#>Hot > <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/laurie-david/post_2010_b_858871.html?utm_source=DailyBrief&utm_campaign=050911&utm_medium=email&utm_content=BlogEntry&utm_term=Daily%20Brief#>Crazy > <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/laurie-david/post_2010_b_858871.html?utm_source=DailyBrief&utm_campaign=050911&utm_medium=email&utm_content=BlogEntry&utm_term=Daily%20Brief#>Important > <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/laurie-david/post_2010_b_858871.html?utm_source=DailyBrief&utm_campaign=050911&utm_medium=email&utm_content=BlogEntry&utm_term=Daily%20Brief#>Weird > <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/laurie-david/post_2010_b_858871.html?utm_source=DailyBrief&utm_campaign=050911&utm_medium=email&utm_content=BlogEntry&utm_term=Daily%20Brief#> > Follow > <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tag/food> Food > <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tag/food>, > <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tag/food-politics> Food Politics > <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tag/food-politics>, Tom Vilsack > <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tag/tom-vilsack>, Animal Antibiotics > <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tag/animal-antibiotics>, Animals > Antibiotics <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tag/animals-antibiotics>, > Antibiotic Resistance > <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tag/antibiotic-resistance>, Antibiotics > <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tag/antibiotics>, Antibiotics In Meat > <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tag/antibiotics-in-meat>, Food News > <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/food> > > > share this story > > 6 <javascript:void(0);> > 43 <javascript:void(0);> > 1 <javascript:void(0)> > 3 <javascript:void(0);> > Get Food Alerts > Sign Up <javascript:void(0);> > Submit this story > digg reddit > <http://reddit.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2Flaurie-david%2Fpost_2010_b_858871.html&title=laurie-david:%20Wake+Up%2C+Secretary+Vilsack> > stumble > <http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2Flaurie-david%2Fpost_2010_b_858871.html&title=laurie-david:%20Wake+Up%2C+Secretary+Vilsack> > > > Dear Secretary Vilsack, > > I'd like to thank you for tackling some very tough questions from > audience members at last Wednesday's The Future of Food conference > <http://washingtonpostlive.com/conferences/food/archive> in > Washington, DC. Your passion and commitment for farmers and rural > communities is moving and greatly appreciated. I must admit, however, > I am extremely disappointed with your response to my question > <http://www.georgetown.edu/story/vilsack.html> about antibiotic use in > food animals. I asked, when will the government do something to stop > producers from squandering 70% of our antibiotics on healthy farm > animals? You answered with the question, "How do you basically > legislate that?" > > Almost everyone in the audience knew the answer. Spontaneously, like a > Greek chorus, dozens of voices yelled out, "regulate it!" How else are > we going to save our antibiotics for what they were first intended? > Without antibiotics modern medicine could literally be taken back > <http://cid.oxfordjournals.org/content/46/2/155.abstract> to the days > when a simple childhood ear infection lead to permanent hearing loss > and worse cases death. > > Mr. Secretary, knowing your passion to help the people who live in > rural communities, there is no larger issue to focus your attention on > than protecting them from antibiotic-resistant bacteria sourced from > food animals. Public health experts warn farm workers and the people > who live near these factory farms face a greater risk > <http://web.missouri.edu/%7Eikerdj/papers/Indiana%20--%20CAFOs%20%20Communities.htm> > of farm-acquired antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections than the > general public. > > I understand that the USDA's stance, as you stated, is to encourage > farmers to use antibiotics "judiciously." With all due respect, our > current predicament is proof that "voluntary" measures don't work and > now there is no time left to ask industrial producers nicely to stop > wasting our antibiotics. We must act now. While regulating antibiotics > may fall under the Food and Drug Administration's jurisdiction, as the > Secretary of Agriculture, I hope you take the time to find ways to > support the FDA in "regulating" this gross misuse of modern medicine's > most precious resource. You may also want to consider standing behind > the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act > <http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/03/rep-slaughter-reintroduces-bill-to-limit-antibiotic-use-in-ag/>. > U.S. Representative Louise Slaughter (D-NY), the only microbiologist > in Congress, recently reintroduced <http://www.louise.house.gov/> the > bill, which calls for the end of using medically important antibiotics > on healthy food animals. > > /*This Blogger's Books* from/ Amazon<http://www.amazon.com/> > indiebound <http://www.indiebound.org/?aff=HuffingtonPost> > The Family Dinner: Great Ways to Connect with Your Kids, One Meal at a > Time > <http://www.amazon.com/Family-Dinner-Great-Ways-Connect/dp/0446565466%3FSubscriptionId%3D0JJEH4PKQM4ZHS8QY102%26tag%3Dthehuffingtop-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0446565466> > > The Family Dinner: Great Ways to Connect with Your Kids, One Meal at a > Time > by Laurie David, Kirstin Uhrenholdt > <http://www.amazon.com/Family-Dinner-Great-Ways-Connect/dp/0446565466%3FSubscriptionId%3D0JJEH4PKQM4ZHS8QY102%26tag%3Dthehuffingtop-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0446565466> > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To > unsubscribe from the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: > [log in to unmask] Check out our > Listserv Lists support site for more information: > http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask] Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp