FDA Finds Iowa Dairy Has Unsafe Drug Residue in Cows

On Wednesday, August 8th, the FDA filed a Complaint and Consent Decree of Permanent Injunction against Ysselstein Dairy Inc. due to unsafe drug residue found in the meat of cows from the dairy. This action resulted from investigations conducted by the FDA's Kansas City District Office between 1992 and 2006. The injunction does not become effective until the Court officially enters it into record. The FDA alerted the public of this action via news release on the agency's official site.

Drugs that may have an adverse affect on human health were found in edible tissue (meat) that would have been offered for sale to the public. Seven dairy cows sampled by the USDA's Food Safety Inspection service yielded nine instances of illegal residues. The samples were taken between July 21, 1992 and March 10, 2006. The FDA requires a specific minimum time period between treatment and slaughter to ensure that drugs administered have sufficiently left the animal's tissue.

The dairy's cows are eventually sold for slaughter, at which point the tainted meat would enter our food supply. No contamination of milk was found. The FSIS found residue of tetracycline, sulfadimethoxine, flunixin, oxytetracycline, and penicillin above the permitted levels, all drugs which are antibiotics.

Anti-biotic residue in meat is troublesome because of concern that it can give rise to drug resistant strains of bacteria. Overuse of antibiotics can create "superbugs" that require newer or more intense treatment. The FDA maintains a section of fact sheets on this problem at their website. Antibiotic treatments on factory farms are routine and the agency has a long history of weighing in on their abuse.

This is not the first time the Ysselstein dairy has had troubles. According to an April 2003 press release, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources fined the dairy $5000 for failing to comply with manure application requirements and manure applicator certifications. Manure land application describes the practice of spreading animal waste over soil rather than disposing through a sewage system. The practice enriches the soil but can pollute drinking water if it is not managed correctly.

The consent Decree requires the Ysselstein dairy to put in place systems for better animal record keeping, control of drug administration, and strict withdrawal policies. The FDA can also require the dairy to cease operations if they are found to not be in compliance with the Decree or the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic act. The dairy will pay a fine each day it operates without being in compliance with the Decree and for each animal it offers for sale that is not in accordance with the terms.