NMPF extolled the FARM antibiotic stewardship program in comments filed with the FDA on Oct. 31 as a means of overseeing and promoting the judicious use of antimicrobial products in dairy cattle.

Our comments were filed with FDA related to the Reagan Udall Foundation summary report “Establishing a Draft Framework for a Public-Private Partnership to Support the Tracking of Antimicrobial Use in Food-Producing Animals,” released this summer. The Reagan-Udall Foundation for the Food and Drug Administration is an independent 501(c)(3) organization created by Congress to modernize medical and veterinary product development and oversight.

NMPF comments addressed:

• The role of the National Dairy FARM Program in promoting the judicious and responsible use of antimicrobials by U.S. dairy farmers;
• The important requirements of confidentiality, voluntary participation, and data aggregation for any collection of antimicrobial use data, and;
• Response to specific FDA requests about cost estimates and oversight.