Ministry of Agriculture pushes for drug inspection in livestock industry

Irregularities in the use of antibiotics in poultry and livestock industries in China will be strictly inspected by 2020 to reduce drug resistance, according to a national plan released by the Ministry of Agriculture on Friday.

Agricultural authorities will push for reductions in the use of antibiotics for poultry and livestock. Antibiotics for both human and animal use and those that easily cause cross-drug resistance will be gradually banned in China, according to the plan.

Authorities will also take measures to research, develop and promote more than 100 kinds of new drugs for animal use that are safe, highly effective and leave little residue, and more than 100 kinds of high risk drugs for animal use will be banned, the plan said.

By 2020, more than 97 percent of poultry, livestock and aquatic products in domestic markets will be expected to pass tests for antibiotics residue, the plan said.

Authorities will intensify supervision in inspection and approval of new antibiotics for animal use, and further regulate veterinarians' drug application. Authorities will also establish eight national labs across China to improve monitoring drug resistance caused by the use of animal antibiotics, the plan said.

Agricultural authorities will also intensify communication and cooperation with international organizations such as the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to control the spread of drug-resistance bacteria among countries.

China is a major producer and user of antibiotics among animals. Bacteria drug-resistance is becoming increasingly serious in China, forcing even more drugs to be used in the poultry and livestock industry, which causes serious threats to public health, according to the Ministry of Agriculture.

Contact the writer at wangxiaodong@chinadaily.com.cn