In 1986, in response to pressure from farmers and consumers, Sweden became the first country to ban outright the use of antibiotics as growth promoters, i.e. antibiotics put in feed simply to make the animals put on weight faster and more efficiently. Denmark also instituted a voluntary ban on all antibiotic growth promoters beginning in February 1998 and a national tax on them in September 1998. Both countries now require a veterinarian's prescription for all remaining uses of antibiotics in livestock.

As of 1998, the European Union, of which Sweden and Denmark are members, prohibited use as growth promoters of all antibiotics used in human medicine; only four antibiotics not used in human medicine were able to be used without prescription in agriculture in the EU after the ban was put into place. Effective January 1, 2006, however, following the advice of the EU's Scientific Steering Committee, the four remaining antibiotic growth promoters were banned (namely monensin, salinomycin, avilamycin, and flavophospholipol). The ban did not affect drugs used to treat illness in animals though the EU is currently considering proposals to extend its ban on growth promotion to include all antibiotics. By contrast, in the U.S., no prescriptions are required for the vast majority of antibiotics used in agriculture. Several of the 17 antibiotics used to promote livestock growth are identical, or nearly so, to those used to treat sick people.

Where bans exist on the use of antibiotics as growth promotants, such as in Sweden and Denmark, meat producers continue to thrive. They've adapted, by modifying the diet of animals, and by improving animal husbandry to decrease the risk of infection. Of course, antibiotics continue to be available by prescription to treat animals that are sick.

In fact, a World Health Organization (WHO) expert panel concluded that Denmark's phaseout of routine antibiotics in livestock and poultry has protected health and not hurt farmers. The panel found that the phaseout led to an overall drop of 54% in use of antibiotics for food and "dramatically reduced" levels or resistant bacteria in animals.

Below are several available resources that provide more information on the European experience with responsible use of antibiotics in agriculture. Please see the "European Experience" category in Resources, for a comprehensive selection of relevant documents.

• Myths and Facts about Denmark's Growth Promoter Ban and Its Implications for the US.
• DANMAP reports from Denmark (DANMAP 2005, DANMAP 2004, DANMAP 2003, DANMAP 2002, DANMAP 2001, DANMAP 2000, DANMAP 1999): The Danish Integrated Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring and Research Programme presents the results of resistance monitoring in food animals, foods and humans.
• The Swedish Model of Animal Production, produced by the Swedish Ministry of Agriculture Food and Fisheries, is a series of presentations given at a 1998 seminar in Stockholm on topics such as "Animal Health Effects of the New Feed Act of 1986," "Economic Effects on Swedish Farming," and "Animal Health and Food Safety in Swedish Chicken Production."
• A Communication adopted by the European Commission that sets out a Community Strategy to combat the threat to human, animal and plant health posed by anti-microbial resistance.
• WHO Global Principles for the Containment of Antimicrobial Resistance in Animals Intended for Food, produced by the Report of a WHO Consultation taking place in Geneva, Switzerland on June 5-9 2000.
• Report of Site Visit to Swedish and Danish Farmers