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NMPF Submits Comments on Codex Antimicrobial Resistance Documents

July 30, 2019

In May, NMPF and the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) jointly submitted comments to the U.S. Department of
Agriculture and U.S. Food and Drug Administration on the Codex Task Force on Antimicrobial Resistance (TFAMR) documents, “Proposed Draft Code of Practice to Minimize and Contain Antimicrobial Resistance” and “Proposed Draft Guidelines for the Integrated Monitoring and Surveillance of Foodborne Antimicrobial Resistance.” NMPF and USDEC have been engaging the U.S. government for over two-years to ensure the Codex TFAMR documents support the responsible and prudent use of antibiotics without endorsing unscientific and unfair barriers to U.S. dairy exports (see previous Regulatory Registers for more information). Additionally, NMPF and USDEC have provided leadership to the International Dairy Federation efforts to develop global dairy consensus on responsible and prudent use of antibiotics.

The comments focused on the need for antimicrobial use for animal health and welfare, which counters some proposals that restrict antibiotic use in animals without reducing the risk of AMR. Additional comments sought to maintain the Codex mandate on food safety for risk mitigation of the potential spread of AMR through the food chain – some countries wish to expand these documents beyond the Codex mandate of food safety into animal health, which is already covered by the World Organization of Animal Health. All comments on these documents will be considered at the next Codex TFAMR meeting to be held in December in South Korea. The CODEX TFAMR work is anticipated to be completed in 2020.

This work was made possible through support of the U.S. Dairy Export Council.

Contact: Jamie Jonker