The American Health Institute, the association that represents large agriculture and pharmaceutical industries, supports the NARMS monitoring program as "it provides an important early warning system on the potential for the emergence of antibiotic resistance bacteria, " said Ron Phillips, vice president for legislative and public affairs, in an e-mail.

CNN: What government tests found in your meat

The American Health Institute, the association that represents large agriculture and pharmaceutical industries, says it supports the NARMS monitoring program as "it provides an important early warning system on the potential for the emergence of antibiotic resistance bacteria, " said Ron Phillips, vice president for legislative and public affairs, in an e-mail.

CNN: What government tests found in your meat

Moreover, bacteria in their natural state already contain thousands of antibiotic-resistance genes.

ECONOMIST: Development and the environment

The discovery that animals in pristine environments have few bacteria with resistance genes makes it likely that much of the antibiotic resistance found in these other species is a result of human influence, rather than natural gene-circulation.

ECONOMIST: Are the bugs in wild animals resistant to antibiotics?