Reducing antibiotics in farming
Organic farming shows there’s a better way to protect animal health. It tackles disease at its root, so antibiotics are used only when animals genuinely need them.
Farm animals consume about 30% of all antibiotics in the UK and about 65% of antibiotics worldwide. It is intensive farming systems that use drugs at unnecessarily high levels, putting human health at risk.
Many of the antibiotics you might get prescribed by the doctor are the same as those given to animals, and they are becoming less and less effective. This is because the more that antibiotics are used in humans or animals, the more bacteria develop resistance. Bacteria that develop antibiotic resistance in farm animals can pass to humans and cause resistant infections.
Antibiotics should be used responsibly in humans and animals. But in intensive farming, they can be given to animals as a preventative measure, before they show signs of illness, to compensate for animals being housed in cramped, unsanitary conditions where infections spread easily. Governments should act to end all forms of routine farm antibiotic use, including preventative group treatments.
By 2050, if action is not taken to reduce antibiotic use, it is predicted that globally 10 million people a year could die because of antibiotic resistance.
We need an alternative to unhealthy, unhygienic intensive livestock farming. We must prioritise good animal husbandry to minimise disease, as seen in agroecological and organic farming systems.
How organic farming reduces the need for antibiotics
Organic shows there is another way. Approaches to farming that focus on animal health and welfare do not need to depend on antibiotics.
Organic standards look to provide conditions where animals have freedom to roam, express their natural instincts and live in smaller groups.
Better living conditions reduce disease risk
Addressing the causes of infections and diseases, such as air quality, means that disease burdens are lower in organic systems, so there is less need for antibiotics. But when diseases do arise, antibiotics can be used, much like for us humans. They are life-saving drugs ready when we need them most.
Later weaning supports healthier pigs
Organic systems require that piglets stay with their mothers for at least the first 40 days of their life. This reduces the stress of separation, improves piglet survival rate and the health of adult pigs. In a UK government study, non-organic pig farms used between 13 to 330 times more antibiotics than organic.
What we're doing
We work throughout the farming sector to ensure that farm animals in all systems experience a good life. We campaign governments, improve farm assurance and engage farmers to support them to adapt and improve practice.
Supporting farmers to innovate
Through our Innovative Farmers programme, we work with a network of farmers and growers on farmer-led field labs that find solutions to animal health problems.
One current project is investigating a new on-farm test that can quickly identify the cause of mastitis, which is the biggest use case of antibiotics in cows. By helping farmers understand whether an infection is bacterial, and what type, the test can support more targeted treatment and reduce the unnecessary use of antibiotics. Watch the video to find out more.
Working to reduce antibiotic use in farming
We’re a founding member of the Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics. We’re campaigning for UK and EU wide reductions in antibiotics use in farm animals.
We’re calling for the UK government to ban the routine preventative use of antibiotics in groups of entirely healthy farm animals.
Find out more and how you can get involved.
Setting strict limits on antibiotic use
There are a number of critically important antibiotics that are restricted in [Soil Association's higher standards]. These antibiotics play a critical role in treating infections in humans and animals. If bacteria become resistant, the impact would be catastrophic.
Improving farm animal welfare through measurement
We work in partnership with the University of Bristol and RSPCA on AssureWel, a project focused on improving farm animal welfare through robust welfare measurement. By consistently measuring welfare on farms, AssureWel helps build a clearer picture of how resources, housing and management practices affect animals in real world conditions. This evidence-based approach supports better decision-making and continuous improvements in animal health and welfare.
What you can do
We can reduce the need for antibiotics whilst preventing many animals from living in cramped, unsanitary conditions. Together, we can prevent a human health disaster and continue to improve the lives of millions of farm animals.
Buy organic
By buying organic you can guarantee that the animal has been cared for using high animal welfare standards with no routine antibiotic use.
Become a member
By joining us as a member today, we can prevent a human health disaster and continue to improve the lives of millions of farm animals.
We aim to transform how land is farmed and managed, supporting farmers, growers and foresters to adopt nature-friendly practices that restore soils, protect wildlife and help create a sustainable future for everyone. Find out how we are changing farming and forestry