The widespread, routine use of antibiotics in animal agriculture in the U.S. contributes to the development of antibiotic resistance, which basically means bacteria adapt to outsmart the drugs. Since many are the same ones used in human medicine, that results in at least tens of thousands of deaths each year (and more by some estimates). The issue has been identified as one of the biggest global public health threats by the World Health Organization.
Because of that, advocates have been fighting to get the meat industry and food companies to reduce or end the use of medically important antibiotics in feed and water as a preventative measure for years.
