Saving our antibiotics:

99.9% of land protein produced in the States is from within Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO).  These feedlot animals consume 80% of total annual US antibiotic usage.  Federated mostly in low level doses to promote artificial growth and/or to proactively address illnesses common to exposure to other feedlot animals, only a small percentage of these “germ killers” are actually used on animals for therapeutic practice.  As Sir Alexander Fleming warned with the advent of penicillin, administration in slow and small doses will establish microbial immunities (superbugs). Bolstering these immunities, for germs & not us, through our food system has done just that!  If we maintain business as usual, we’ll only continue to expedite the superbug epidemic.

So – be afraid, be very afraid as we may be returning to a life where antibiotics have very limited effectiveness even with increased doses & potency. 

http://www.nrdc.org/food/saving-antibiotics.asp