The San Francisco Board of Supervisors is expected to vote next Tuesday on an ordinance that would require large grocers in the city to report on antibiotics used in producing the meat they sell, says the San Francisco Examiner. The information would be made public in an effort “to use the power of the consumer to force marketplace change.”
Supervisor Jeff Sheehy introduced the legislation in June, and it was approved by the board’s Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee on Wednesday. The Examiner quoted Sheehy as saying, “It is my hope that we can stem the tide of antibiotic-resistant infections by providing consumers with information about the antibiotic use policies and practices behind meat products sold in San Francisco stores.”
If approved, the ordinance would apply to around 125 stores in the city. Grocery chains would produce annual reports on the meats and poultry sold in their stores, providing information on average days per animal for antibiotic use, percentage of animals treated, number of animals raised, and total volume of antibiotics used. “The proposal is opposed by the California Grocers Association, California Farm Bureau Federation, and the North American Meat Institute, but widely supported by the city’s environment and health officials,” said the Examiner.