Latest Targets
New targets for the responsible use of antibiotics in UK livestock sectors 2021-2024 have been released.
The original Targets Task Force, formed in 2016, was refreshed and reformed in September 2019 to develop the next tranche of targets to take UK farming to 2024. This is in line with the Government’s UK National Action Plan and its goals.
While the research, data and lessons accumulated in just three years since the last targets were developed are enormous, many gaps and challenges still exist. However, the new team has made good use of the information it had access to, consulted more widely and addressed some of the difficulties the last team faced.
The new targets were launched on 18 November 2020, European Antibiotic Awareness Day.
The reformed Targets Task Force for 2020 was:
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Cattle group chair | Mark Jelley, Northamptonshire beef farmer and NFU Livestock Board member |
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Beef | Mark Jelley; Dr Elizabeth Berry, cattle vet and British Cattle Veterinary Association Council member |
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Dairy | Graham Young, Lancashire dairy farmer and NFU Dairy Board Vice-Chairman; Dr Elizabeth Berry, cattle vet and BCVA Council member |
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Calves | Hannah Dyke, Yorkshire calf rearer; Richard Cooper, specialist cattle vet with Evidence Group |
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Sheep | Charles Sercombe, Leicestershire sheep farmer; Dr Fiona Lovatt, specialist sheep vet representing the Sheep Veterinary Society |
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Pigs | Richard Lister, Yorkshire pig farmer and Chairman of the National Pig Association; Richard Pearson, pig vet and Senior Vice President of Pig Veterinary Society; and members of the Pig Health and Welfare Council Antimicrobial Use subgroup |
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Salmon | Dr Iain Berrill, Head of Technical, Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation; SSPO Prescribing Vets group |
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Trout | Oliver Robinson, Chief Executive Officer of British Trout Association; Dr Peter Scott, fish vet and Director of BTA |
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Gamebirds | Paul Jeavons, Worcestershire game farmer and Chairman of the Game Farmers’ Association Health and Welfare Committee; Will Ingham and Isy Manning, poultry vets with Poultry Health Services |
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Laying hens | Paul McMullin, Consultant Veterinarian to the British Egg Industry Council |
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Poultry Meat | Thomas Wornham, Hertfordshire poultry producer; Daniel Parker, poultry vet and Veterinary Adviser to the British Poultry Council |
Observers | Fraser Broadfoot, Veterinary Research Officer, Veterinary Medicines Directorate; Paul Cook, Head of Microbiological Risk Assessment, Food Standards Agency |
Support | Derek Armstrong, Lead Veterinary Science Expert, AHDB; Clive Brown, Head of Beef & Lamb Knowledge Exchange, AHDB; Dr Georgina Crayford, Technical Manager, Red Tractor Assurance; Dr Mandy Nevel, Head of Animal Health and Welfare, AHDB; Dr Grace O Gorman, Technical Policy Manager, NOAH; James Russell, President, British Veterinary Association; Dr Mary Vickers, LIP Product Manager (Data & Technology), AHDB |
Chairing and Organisation | Gwyn Jones, Chair of Targets Task Force, RUMA; Catherine McLaughlin, Chair, RUMA; Chris Lloyd, Secretary General, RUMA; Amy Jackson, Communications Officer, RUMA |
With additional thanks to | Jules Dare, Mike Kirby, Kathryn Rowland, Gareth Hateley, members of the Cattle Stewardship Group and researchers from Universities of Bristol, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Nottingham and the Royal Agricultural University. |