U.K. farming unions have launched an intense lobbying campaign against proposed Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) restrictions on colistin, a last-resort antibiotic for human infections that is still widely used prophylactically in poultry and pig farming.
The VMD's draft guidance, released in February, would ban routine preventive use of colistin and require veterinary prescriptions with diagnostic justification for any use. The proposal aligns with World Health Organization recommendations to preserve colistin's effectiveness against drug-resistant bacteria.
But the National Farmers' Union (NFU) argues the ban would increase livestock mortality and raise production costs by an estimated £180 million annually. 'We support responsible use, but a near-total ban is disproportionate,' said NFU President Tom Bradshaw.
Public health versus agricultural economics
The UK Health Security Agency has documented a 40% increase in colistin-resistant infections since 2020, including in patients with no livestock exposure. 'Resistance genes travel. What happens on farms does not stay on farms,' said UKHSA antimicrobial lead Dr. Susan Hopkins.
The VMD has received over 12,000 public comments, with 92% supporting the restrictions. A final decision is expected by June 1, with implementation by January 2027 if approved.
Resistance genes travel. What happens on farms does not stay on farms. We must preserve colistin for human medicine before it's too late.
Several major retailers, including Tesco and Waitrose, have announced they will only source meat from producers who have voluntarily eliminated colistin use, regardless of the VMD decision.
