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A recent formal request from twelve public health and agricultural labor coalitions is urging the Environmental Protection Agency to discontinue permitting the use of antibiotics on food crops across the United States, citing superbug spread and health risks to agricultural workers.

Farming Sector Sprays Millions of Pounds of Antimicrobial Pesticides

The agricultural sector applies about 8m lbs of antimicrobial and fungicidal pesticides on US plants each year, with a number of these chemicals restricted in foreign countries.

“Annually the public are at increased danger from toxic bacteria and illnesses because human medicines are applied on crops,” said Nathan Donley.

Antibiotic Resistance Creates Major Public Health Dangers

The widespread application of antibiotics, which are vital for combating human disease, as crop treatments on crops jeopardizes population health because it can lead to antibiotic-resistant pathogens. In the same way, overuse of antifungal agent treatments can cause fungal infections that are more resistant with existing medicines.

• Drug-resistant illnesses impact about 2.8 million people and result in about 35,000 mortalities per year.
• Public health organizations have linked “clinically significant antibiotics” approved for agricultural spraying to antibiotic resistance, increased risk of bacterial illnesses and higher probability of antibiotic-resistant staph.

Environmental and Health Impacts

Furthermore, ingesting chemical remnants on produce can alter the digestive system and increase the risk of chronic diseases. These chemicals also contaminate drinking water supplies, and are thought to affect pollinators. Frequently poor and Latino agricultural laborers are most vulnerable.

Frequently Used Agricultural Antimicrobials and Agricultural Practices

Farms spray antimicrobials because they kill pathogens that can harm or kill crops. Among the popular agricultural drugs is a common antibiotic, which is frequently used in clinical treatment. Data indicate as much as 125,000 pounds have been sprayed on American produce in a single year.

Citrus Industry Influence and Government Action

The legal appeal is filed as the regulator faces demands to increase the use of pharmaceutical drugs. The crop infection, transmitted by the Asian citrus psyllid, is severely affecting fruit farms in southeastern US.

“I understand their critical situation because they’re in dire straits, but from a public health standpoint this is certainly a no-brainer – it must not occur,” the expert stated. “The bottom line is the significant problems generated by spraying pharmaceuticals on produce far outweigh the farming challenges.”

Alternative Methods and Long-term Prospects

Experts recommend straightforward agricultural steps that should be tried first, such as wider crop placement, cultivating more disease-resistant strains of produce and locating diseased trees and quickly removing them to prevent the diseases from propagating.

The legal appeal provides the EPA about 5 years to respond. Previously, the organization prohibited a chemical in response to a parallel formal request, but a legal authority blocked the agency's prohibition.

The agency can enact a prohibition, or has to give a justification why it refuses to. If the Environmental Protection Agency, or a subsequent government, fails to respond, then the organizations can file a lawsuit. The legal battle could require many years.

“We are pursuing the prolonged effort,” the advocate remarked.