I caught a bit on Countryfile last night about the use of antibiotics on livestock as a "preventative" rather than as a cure, and everyone including the EU are "now" becoming concerned
This is not something new - when I was studying microbiology as part of my course in the mid-1980s, the effects of antibiotic resistance in the human population from farming practices was already well known so why has it taken over 25 years to suddenly show concern? It's outrageous that nothing has been done about all these years. Death rates pre-antibiotic period were high - we take it for granted that a little infection can be easily treated. The very thought that bacteria which are displaying resistance to antibiotics is actually in the food chain is an absolute disaster - it's all very well telling everyone about cooking meat properly, but cases of food poisoning still happen whatever the reason, and if antibiotics to treat those patients are not going to work ... it's a dreadful thought.