This Little Piggy Bred a Superbug

Antibiotic use in factory farms- where most meat in American grocery stores comes from- poses a threat to human health.The use of antibiotics for the purpose of making livestock grow faster originated in the late 1940s with the Hormel Institute and the antibiotic Aureomycin. Research followed, and continues today, showing that the overuse of antibiotics in livestock contributes significantly to the growth and antibiotic resistant bacteria, presence of bacteria in store bought meats, and contamination of land and waterways with bacteria. There are not currently laws that prohibit the use of antibiotics for the purpose of speeding up the growth of livestock.