The California Senate defeated proposed legislation that would have limited the use of antibiotics by licensed veterinarians to prevent and control disease in livestock.

 Senate Bill 416 was defeated by a vote of 20-15.

The measure was placed on the inactive file at the request of Sen. Dean Florez (D-Shafter), who introduced the bill February 26.

S.B. 416 was amended earlier this month by the Senate Education Committee to require school districts to make every effort to purchase poultry and meat products that have not been treated with non-therapeutic antibiotics. Florez's original bill prohibited schools from serving poultry or meat products from animals that had been treated with antibiotics at any time during the life of the animal. 

Western United Dairymen opposed the bill, along with Alliance of Western Milk Producers, California Dairies Inc., California Farm Bureau Federation, California Poultry Federation, California School Nutrition Association and the California Teamsters.

Catherine Merlo is Western editor for Dairy Today. You can reach her at cmerlo@farmjournal.com.