Chapter 4.5 - Livestock: Use of Antimicrobial Drugs

California Food and Agricultural Code — §§ 14400-14408

Sections (9)

Added by Stats. 2015, Ch. 758, Sec. 1. (SB 27) Effective January 1, 2016.

For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply:

(a)“Medically important antimicrobial drug” means an antimicrobial drug listed in Appendix A of the federal Food and Drug Administration’s Guidance for Industry #152, including critically important, highly important, and important antimicrobial drugs, as that appendix may be amended.

(b)“Livestock” means all animals and poultry, including aquatic and amphibian species, that are raised, kept, or used for profit. Livestock does not include bees or those species that are usually kept as pets, such as dogs, cats, and pet birds.

(c)“Veterinary feed directive” has the same definition as in Section 558.3 of Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

§ 14401

Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 198, Sec. 2. (AB 1505) Effective January 1, 2026.

A medically important antimicrobial drug shall not be administered to livestock unless it is ordered by a licensed veterinarian through a prescription or veterinary feed directive that complies with federal and state law, including, but not limited to, Part 514 (commencing with Section 514.1), Part 530 (commencing with Section 530.1), and Part 558 (commencing with Section 558.3) of Subchapter E of Chapter I of Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations and Section 4826.6 of the Business and Professions Code. A prescription for labeled use of a medically important antimicrobial drug shall be issued pursuant to a veterinarian-client-patient relationship that meets the requirements of Section 4826.6 of the Business and Professions Code. Veterinary feed directives and prescriptions for extralabel use of a medically important antimicrobial drug shall be

issued pursuant to a veterinarian-client-patient relationship that meets the requirements of Section 530.3 of Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

§ 14402

Added by Stats. 2015, Ch. 758, Sec. 1. (SB 27) Effective January 1, 2016.

(a)Beginning January 1, 2018, a medically important antimicrobial drug may be used when, in the professional judgment of a licensed veterinarian, the medically important antimicrobial drug is any of the following:

(1)Necessary to treat a disease or infection.

(2)Necessary to control the spread of a disease or infection.

(3)Necessary in relation to surgery or a medical procedure.

(b)A medically important antimicrobial drug may also be used when, in the professional judgment of a licensed veterinarian, it

is needed for prophylaxis to address an elevated risk of contraction of a particular disease or infection.

(c)A person shall not administer a medically important antimicrobial drug to livestock solely for purposes of promoting weight gain or improving feed efficiency.

(d)Unless the administration is consistent with subdivision (a), a person shall not administer a medically important antimicrobial drug in a regular pattern.

§ 14403

Added by Stats. 2015, Ch. 758, Sec. 1. (SB 27) Effective January 1, 2016.

(a)Notwithstanding Sections 14401 and 14402 of this code and Article 15 (commencing with Section 4196) of Chapter 9 of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code, medically important antimicrobial drugs may be sold by retailers licensed pursuant to Article 5 (commencing with Section 14321) of Chapter 4 of Division 7 with a prescription or veterinary feed directive from a licensed veterinarian.

(b)This section shall not be construed to invalidate the requirement to obtain a prescription or veterinary feed directive to administer a medically important antimicrobial drug as required by Section 14401.

(c)The department may promulgate

regulations to implement this section.

§ 14404

Added by Stats. 2015, Ch. 758, Sec. 1. (SB 27) Effective January 1, 2016.

(a)The department, in consultation with the Veterinary Medical Board, the State Department of Public Health, universities, and cooperative extensions, shall develop antimicrobial stewardship guidelines and best management practices for veterinarians, as well as livestock owners and their employees who are involved with administering medically important antimicrobial drugs, on the proper use of medically important antimicrobial drugs for disease treatment, control, and prevention. The guidelines shall include scientifically validated practical alternatives to the use of medically important antimicrobial drugs, including, but not limited to, the introduction of effective vaccines and good hygiene and management practices.

(b)The department shall consult with livestock producers, licensed veterinarians, and any other relevant stakeholders on ensuring livestock timely access to treatment for producers in rural areas with limited access to veterinary care.

(c)For purposes of this section, “antimicrobial stewardship” is a commitment to do all of the following:

(1)To use medically important antimicrobial drugs only when necessary to treat, control, and, in some cases, prevent, disease.

(2)To select the appropriate medically important antimicrobial drug and the appropriate dose, duration, and route of administration.

(3)To use medically important antimicrobial drugs for the shortest duration necessary and to

administer them to the fewest animals necessary.

§ 14405

Added by Stats. 2015, Ch. 758, Sec. 1. (SB 27) Effective January 1, 2016.

(a)It is the intent of the Legislature that the department coordinate with the United States Department of Agriculture, the federal Food and Drug Administration, and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to implement the expanded antimicrobial resistance surveillance efforts included in the National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria, and that the information gathered through this effort will help lead to a better understanding of the links between antimicrobial use patterns in livestock and the development of antimicrobial resistant bacterial infections.

(b)(1) The department shall gather information on medically important antimicrobial

drug sales and usage, as well as antimicrobial resistant bacteria and livestock management practice data. Monitoring efforts shall not be duplicative of the National Animal Health Monitoring System and the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System, and, to the extent feasible, the department shall coordinate with the United States Department of Agriculture, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the federal Food and Drug Administration in the development of these efforts.

(2)In coordinating with the National Animal Health Monitoring System and the National Antimicrobial Resistant Monitoring System, the department shall gather representative samples from all of the following:

(A)California’s major livestock segments.

(B)Regions with considerable livestock production.

(C)Representative segments of the food production chain.

(c)The department shall work with willing participants to gather samples and shall consult with, and conduct outreach to, livestock producers, licensed veterinarians, and any other relevant stakeholders on the implementation of the monitoring efforts. Participation in this effort shall be done in a manner that does not breach veterinary-client-patient confidentiality laws.

(d)(1) The department shall report to the Legislature by January 1, 2019, the results of its outreach activities and monitoring efforts. The department shall advise the Legislature as to whether or not participation is sufficient to provide statistically relevant data. The report shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.

(2)This subdivision is inoperative on January 1, 2023, pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code.

(e)The department shall seek funds from federal, state, and other sources to implement this section.

(f)The department may promulgate regulations to implement this section.

§ 14406

Added by Stats. 2015, Ch. 758, Sec. 1. (SB 27) Effective January 1, 2016.

The department has the authority to request and receive copies of veterinary feed directives from the livestock owner, veterinarian, or distributor to fully implement the provisions of this chapter.

§ 14407

Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 615, Sec. 123. (AB 474) Effective January 1, 2022. Operative January 1, 2023, pursuant to Sec. 463 of Stats. 2021, Ch. 615.

Notwithstanding the California Public Records Act (Division 10 (commencing with Section 7920.000) of Title 1 of the Government Code), any information provided pursuant to this chapter and Section 14902.5 shall be held confidential, and shall not be disclosed to any person or governmental agency, other than the department or the Veterinary Medical Board, for the purposes of enforcing the Veterinary Medicine Practice Act (Chapter 11 (commencing with Section 4800) of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code), unless the data is aggregated to prevent the identification of an individual farm or business. Information may be shared with federal agencies so long as it is protected by the federal Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency

Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-347).

§ 14408

Added by Stats. 2015, Ch. 758, Sec. 1. (SB 27) Effective January 1, 2016.

(a)A person who violates this chapter shall be liable for a civil penalty of not more than two hundred and fifty dollars ($250) for each day a violation occurs.

(b)(1) For a second or subsequent violation, a person who violates this chapter shall be punishable by an administrative fine, levied by the secretary, in the amount of five hundred dollars ($500) for each day a violation occurs.

(2)In addition to the administrative fine, the violator shall attend an educational program on the judicious use of medically important antimicrobial drugs that has been approved by the secretary. The violator shall successfully

complete the program and provide proof to the secretary within 90 days from the occurrence of the violation.

(c)Subdivisions (a) and (b) do not apply to licensed veterinarians. If the Veterinary Medical Board determines that a veterinarian is in violation of the Veterinary Medicine Practice Act (Chapter 11 (commencing with Section 4800) of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code), the veterinarian may be subject to disciplinary sanctions pursuant to the act.

(d)The moneys collected pursuant to this article shall be deposited into the Department of Food and Agriculture Fund and shall be available for expenditure upon appropriation by the Legislature.