Using Meat Labels to Communicate the Risk of Antimicrobial-Resistant Bacterial Infections from Foods of Animal Origin:: The Case for a Balanced One Health Approach to Raising Food Animals

Consumers are increasingly confused by the numerous meat labels confronting them in the meat case. Most meat labels do not provide actionable information and many labels only add to consumer confusion. While many consumers are willing to pay a premium for products with specific attributes, the trade-offs and unintended consequences associated with various animal raising programs are not transparent and often poorly understood. Adding to this confusion is a tendency toward the use of “absence labels” on meat products that can create a negative perception of unlabeled conventional products that may or may not include the attribute in question. Communicating with consumers about the complex issue of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is challenging. A more balanced approach to raising food animals is a new consumer choice label program based on principles of One Health that provides transparent information to consumers with mandated antibiotic stewardship practices to reduce risk of AMR originating from food animals. This holistic program strives to provide optimal health outcomes for animals, people, and the environment and avoid the negative consequences sometimes associated with more narrowly focused programs.