FDA, environmental group tracking rise in livestock antibiotic sales

The cause of the increased antibiotic sales remains unclear and could signal worsening animal health, researcher says.

Emma Penrod
June 24, 2026
Word cloud highlighting pharmaceutical research terms including antibiotics, treatment, dosage, antimicrobial, and related medical concepts in varying text sizes and colors.
kentoh | BigStock.com

Livestock antibiotic sales rose nearly 16% in 2024 and are now 28% higher than in 2017, according to an Environmental Working Group (EWG) analysis of U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) data.

A previous analysis had identified a 10% increase in sales from 2017 to 2023, suggesting that sales have been trending upward for some time. Livestock antibiotic sales hit a low point in 2017, according to FDA data.

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