To move forward in the responsible and prudent use of antimicrobials in livestock production, Agrosuper signed a voluntary agreement with the Chilean Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG), therefore joining the agency’s program to reduce the use of these drugs as part of an effort to support the National Plan against Antimicrobial Resistance.
SAG’s National Director, Horacio Bórquez, pointed out that “our agency’s initiative follows the guidelines of the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) and the ‘One Health’ concept that considers animal health, human health, and the environment to be closely interdependent. This is why we support actions to fight antimicrobial resistance, which are essential for the effective treatment of diseases in people and animals with an impact on their well-being.”
Agrosuper’s General Manager, Guillermo Díaz del Río, added that “this type of agreements reaffirms our commitment to animal welfare by proactively addressing issues that are relevant not only at the domestic level but worldwide. The requirements of international markets, our clients, and consumers are constantly presenting us with new challenges. Therefore, this agreement invites us to keep working collaboratively for sustainable production.”
In turn, Juan Carlos Domínguez, President of ChileCarne, the association representing the meat exporting sector, highlighted that “Agrosuper is the first company to sign this prudent-use agreement after we signed it as an industry. As a sector, we decided a while ago to follow the OIE and FAO guidelines on antibiotics and created the Good Health program based on these pillars. I believe that this commitment is a fundamental element of the plan drawn up a few years ago. I can only congratulate SAG and Agrosuper’s teams for this important public-private endeavor.”
SAG’s Director added that more companies will continue to be added to this program: “this is a reality that is here to stay, and as public sector we have the obligation to move forward together with the private sector. SAG is always willing to collaborate and to set new goals that allow us to preserve the high standard of production in this industry.”
Antimicrobial resistance or AMR is the appearance of bacteria resistant to antimicrobial drugs, a problem that has been growing in recent decades. Considering that an excessive or inappropriate use of antibiotics can cause AMR and put global human, animal, and plant health at risk, the OIE has urged countries to take measures for a more responsible and careful use, a commitment that has also been corroborated by organizations such as the United Nations, and developed countries such as Spain, the United Kingdom, France, and Canada.
Source: Agricultural and Livestock Service
