On Tuesday, Subway announced that over the next several years they will switch to meats raised without antibiotics. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Re: “Subway begins slow transition away from meats raised using antibiotics,” Oct. 21 news story.
Your article shed some light upon the overuse of antibiotics within the U.S. meat industry. While Subway’s action is a positive step, we need more to protect public health.
The article failed to state that 80 percent of the antibiotics sold in the United States are used on factory farms. Animals on these farms are routinely treated with a low dose of antibiotics to compensate for their atrocious living conditions. As a result, 2 million Americans become sick from antibiotic-resistant infections every year. Companies like Subway have recognized this serious issue, but their voluntary actions are not enough. The Preventing Antibiotics Resistance Act (PARA) would eliminate the overuse of antibiotics, while still allowing sick animals to be treated. PARA would ensure safer food and address this public health crisis. We need Colorado’s U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet to co-sponsor PARA and save antibiotics for medicine, not factory farms.
Corinne Dougherty, Denver
This letter was published in the Oct. 23 edition.
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