At the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, part of our mission is ensuring the integrity of our food supply. Producing safe food starts at the source, and in animal agriculture, antibiotic stewardship and drug residue prevention play a key role in safe food production. When used appropriately, antibiotics and other veterinary drugs are safe and even essential under certain circumstances for treating illness or other conditions to maintain an animal’s health and welfare. After antibiotic use, preventing residues in food products is key to ensuring those products are safe and fit for human consumption.
The Dairy and Meat Inspection Division (DMID) promotes antibiotic stewardship and drug residue prevention practices to avoid contamination of meat and milk products. This is done by working closely with producers, veterinarians, and industry stakeholders to communicate appropriate drug use and effective management practices for antibiotics used in animal agriculture. DMID supports antibiotic stewardship through both regulatory and educational (non-regulatory) activities. Click on the links below to learn more about how this unique program works.
