Summary Description
- Regulates the use of medically important antimicrobials, including by prohibiting their use for growth promotion purposes.
- TopicThe topic of the legislation or policy covered by the text
- Antimicrobial resistance
- SpeciesThe animal, or type of food production, covered by the text
- Beef cowsDairy cowsBroiler chickensPigs
- JurisdictionCountry or geographical area where the text applies
- USA
- Sub-jurisdictionCountry or state where the text applies
- Maryland
- Type of ActWhether the act is a law, regulation, or policy, or another type of text
- Legislation
- StatusIndicates whether the act is in force or not
- In force
- Legal ValueWhether the text is binding or not
- Voluntary
- Date enactedDate the text was adopted
- 2018
- Date updatedDate when the entry was last updated by the CALF team
- June, 2023
- Official citation
- US Federal Bill Proposal, Keep Antibiotics Effective Act, 2018 (U.S.A)
Strengths & Weaknesses
- Strengths
- Prohibits the use of medically important antimicrobials to cattle, swine, and poultry for growth promoting purposes.
- Requires the approval of a licensed veterinarian for the administration of medically important antimicrobial drugs.
- Requires the Maryland Department of Agriculture to collect data on the sales of medically important antibiotics.
- Weaknesses
- Does not prohibit the administration of antimicrobials for preventative purposes.
- Does not cover antimicrobial use for:
- Cattle on a farm operation that sells fewer than 200 cattle per year;
- Swine on a farm operation that sells fewer than 200 swine per year; or
- Poultry on a farm operation that sells fewer than 60,000 birds per year.
- Provides a low penalty: an administrative penalty, not exceeding $2,000, may be imposed on a person that violates the act.