Tackling Antimicrobial Use and Resistance in Food-Producing Animals: Lessons Learned in the United Kingdom

By Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

This publication describes the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland’s multisectoral voluntary approach to antibiotic stewardship in food-producing animals, developed as a collaboration between industry and government. It is a tribute to all those involved for their tremendous efforts, commitment, and continuous work to improve responsible use of antibiotics and achieve significant reductions in their use across livestock sectors. Keys to success include the development of strong relationships between producers, veterinarians and government, industry-led target-setting and cross-sectoral learning and sharing of experiences. This has built a collective sense of ownership and responsibility, resulting in effective behaviour change for improved stewardship.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
• Release date: Nov 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9789251371145

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

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FAO and VMD. 2022. Tackling antimicrobial use and resistance in food-producing animals – Lessons learned in the United Kingdom. Rome. https://doi.org/10.4060/cc0927en

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CONTENTS

List of contributors

Foreword

Preface

Abbreviations and acronyms

1. BACKGROUND

The United Kingdom livestock farming industry

2. GROWING PRESSURE

The build-up in the years 2010–2014

The antimicrobial resistance (AMR) review

3. CATALYSTS FOR CHANGE

Influential leadership

The importance of data

The leading role of the Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture (RUMA) Alliance

Global Action Plan on AMR

4. A CLOSER COLLABORATION

The Government’s response

The role of vets

RUMA’s Independent Scientific Group

RUMA’s Targets Task Force

The sectors’ stories

5. DELIVERY OF RESULTS

Achievements

6. ANALYSING THE SCIENCE – A PERSPECTIVE FROM BEHAVIOURAL SCIENCE

7. FUTURE PROSPECTS

8. LESSONS LEARNED AND KEY ELEMENTS OF SUCCESS

REFERENCES

FIGURES

1. Quantity of antibiotics sold for use in food-producing animals for 31 European countries in 2020 as reported by European Surveillance of Veterinary Antimicrobial Consumption (ESVAC).

2. Total sales of antibiotics for use in food-producing animals

3. Sales of highest-priority critically important antibiotics (HP-CIAs) in food-producing animals

LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS

This publication is a multi-stakeholder effort.

Production of the text was led by members of the

ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE TEAM AT THE VETERINARY MEDICINES DIRECTORATE:

Houda Bennani, Sannah Malik, Sara Sabzikari and Naomi Bull

The following experts contributed significantly:

VETERINARY MEDICINES DIRECTORATE:

Professor Peter Borriello CB – former Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Kitty Healey – Head of Surveillance Division, Head of Antimicrobial Resistance

Fraser Broadfoot – Head of Antimicrobial Resistance Stewardship and Usage Team

RESPONSIBLE USE OF MEDICINES IN AGRICULTURE ALLIANCE (RUMA):

Cat McLaughlin – Chair

Chris Lloyd – Secretary General

Mary Bawn – Communications Consultant

Gwyn Jones – former Chair

Amy Jackson – former Communications Consultant

RUMA’S TARGETS TASK FORCE (CURRENT AND FORMER MEMBERS):

Daniel Parker – Poultry Vet

Mark White – Pig Vet

Fiona Lovatt – Sheep Vet

Paul Jeavons – Gamebird Farmer

Peter Scott – Fish Vet

BEHAVIOURAL INSIGHTS TEAM:

Toby Park – Principal Advisor

Zac Baynham-Herd – Advisor

SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS:

Professor Dame Sally Davies – UK Special Envoy for AMR and former UK Chief Medical Officer

Nigel Gibbens