NFU chief animal health and welfare adviser Catherine McLaughlin opened by setting the scene and explained why the NFU is engaged with the issue.
Kitty Healey, from the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD), spoke about the UK five year strategy (2013-2018) and also highlighted the global nature of this challenge - the UK cannot look at this issue in isolation. Kitty discussed the developments industry has made reducing antibiotic sales to date – as detailed in the VARSS report. The working relationship government has with industry has been strengthened following the collaborative approach to target setting with RUMA and she discussed the importance of this.
This was put into context by John Fitzgerald from Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture Alliance (RUMA) with the journey the group has made recently. With 26 members from across the industry, human health and scientific sectors the group and a new structure and communications focus, the group is in a better place to manage the challenge that AMR and the misconceptions put out by NGOs pose. Amy Jackson from Oxtale Communications, RUMA’s comms consultant, went on to detail the way the group is moving forward.
To bring this back to industry, the National Pig Association’s Georgina Crayford discussed the significant changes the pig sector has made over the last few years with the requirements in Red Tractor standards, NPA antibiotic stewardship programme and the recent launch of the E medicine book.
Discussion was positive and it was clear that there is huge support in the collaborative approach. What was also apparent was the need for usage data, and how going forward we need to be cohesive in order to ensure it is meaningful.