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A recent regulatory appeal from a dozen public health and agricultural labor organizations is urging the EPA to stop allowing the application of antimicrobial agents on food crops across the America, highlighting superbug proliferation and health risks to agricultural workers.

Farming Industry Uses Millions of Pounds of Antimicrobial Pesticides

The agricultural sector sprays approximately 8 million pounds of antimicrobial and fungicidal chemicals on US food crops every year, with many of these chemicals banned in foreign countries.

“Each year the public are at greater threat from harmful microbes and infections because human medicines are sprayed on crops,” commented an environmental health director.

Superbug Threat Creates Serious Public Health Risks

The overuse of antibiotics, which are vital for addressing infections, as pesticides on fruits and vegetables threatens public health because it can cause antibiotic-resistant pathogens. In the same way, overuse of antifungal pesticides can lead to mycoses that are more resistant with existing pharmaceuticals.

• Antibiotic-resistant infections impact about millions of people and cause about 35,000 mortalities annually.
• Health agencies have connected “therapeutically critical antimicrobials” approved for pesticide use to treatment failure, increased risk of bacterial illnesses and increased risk of MRSA.

Environmental and Public Health Consequences

Furthermore, eating chemical remnants on crops can disturb the digestive system and elevate the risk of chronic diseases. These chemicals also taint water sources, and are thought to damage bees. Frequently economically disadvantaged and Latino farm workers are most at risk.

Frequently Used Antibiotic Pesticides and Industry Practices

Farms apply antimicrobials because they eliminate pathogens that can harm or destroy crops. Among the most common agricultural drugs is streptomycin, which is often used in medical care. Estimates indicate as much as 125k lbs have been sprayed on domestic plants in a annual period.

Citrus Industry Pressure and Government Response

The petition coincides with the Environmental Protection Agency faces demands to increase the use of pharmaceutical drugs. The bacterial citrus greening disease, spread by the insect pest, is severely affecting orange groves in the state of Florida.

“I recognize their desperation because they’re in dire straits, but from a societal standpoint this is absolutely a no-brainer – it should not be allowed,” the advocate commented. “The fundamental issue is the enormous problems generated by applying pharmaceuticals on edible plants greatly exceed the agricultural problems.”

Other Approaches and Long-term Outlook

Advocates recommend basic agricultural actions that should be tried before antibiotics, such as increasing plant spacing, developing more robust varieties of crops and detecting sick crops and rapidly extracting them to halt the infections from propagating.

The legal appeal allows the Environmental Protection Agency about half a decade to answer. In the past, the regulator outlawed a pesticide in answer to a parallel formal request, but a legal authority overturned the regulatory action.

The organization can enact a ban, or is required to give a explanation why it refuses to. If the EPA, or a future administration, does not act, then the coalitions can file a lawsuit. The legal battle could require over ten years.

“We are engaged in the prolonged effort,” Donley remarked.