How important is the StAR strategy for you and for the Office? How do you relate to it?
Antibiotic resistance affects us all. As resistance increases, we are losing highly effective medicines designed to protect human and animal health. The FOAG is committed to ensuring that agriculture makes its contribution against antibiotic resistance and that farmers are able to continually reduce their use of antibiotics as far as possible. Projects that improve animal health and lessen the use of antibiotics are being promoted and financially supported. Milk producers, veal and cattle farmers – not forgetting pig farmers – are taking part in such projects. One specific example: The resource project "Healthy hooves – a firm foundation for the future" is designed to improve hoof health and reduce the use of antibiotics in cattle. The farmers are taking a very active part in these projects because it is also in their own interests to keep their animals as healthy and robust as possible with the least possible use of antibiotics. Animal health is crucially important for sustainable animal production. Antibiotic use in agricultural animal husbandry has declined by 50 % in the last 10 years. That is a substantial drop and reflects very well on the efforts of veterinarians and farmers.

Interview with Christian Hofer, Director of the Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG)

Strategy on Antibiotic Resistance FOAG