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A fresh formal request from twelve health advocacy and farm worker organizations is demanding the EPA to cease authorizing the application of antibiotics on produce across the United States, highlighting superbug development and health risks to agricultural workers.

Farming Industry Uses Millions of Pounds of Antimicrobial Pesticides

The farming industry sprays around substantial volumes of antibiotic and antifungal chemicals on US plants each year, with many of these agents banned in international markets.

“Each year US citizens are at elevated threat from harmful bacteria and diseases because pharmaceutical drugs are sprayed on plants,” commented an environmental health director.

Antibiotic Resistance Presents Significant Public Health Threats

The overuse of antibiotics, which are vital for combating human disease, as pesticides on crops threatens public health because it can result in antibiotic-resistant pathogens. In the same way, frequent use of antifungal pesticides can cause fungal infections that are harder to treat with currently available medicines.

• Treatment-resistant illnesses affect about 2.8 million Americans and result in about thirty-five thousand deaths annually.
• Regulatory bodies have connected “therapeutically critical antimicrobials” permitted for crop application to drug resistance, increased risk of pathogenic diseases and increased risk of antibiotic-resistant staph.

Ecological and Public Health Impacts

Additionally, consuming antibiotic residues on crops can disturb the intestinal flora and increase the likelihood of persistent conditions. These chemicals also contaminate drinking water supplies, and are thought to damage pollinators. Often poor and minority agricultural laborers are most exposed.

Common Antibiotic Pesticides and Industry Methods

Agricultural operations spray antimicrobials because they destroy bacteria that can harm or wipe out crops. Among the most frequently used agricultural drugs is a medical drug, which is commonly used in healthcare. Data indicate up to significant quantities have been applied on US crops in a one year.

Citrus Industry Influence and Regulatory Response

The petition coincides with the Environmental Protection Agency encounters demands to widen the use of human antibiotics. The citrus plant illness, transmitted by the vector, is devastating citrus orchards in southeastern US.

“I understand their desperation because they’re in dire straits, but from a societal perspective this is certainly a no-brainer – it should not be allowed,” the advocate commented. “The fundamental issue is the significant problems generated by spraying medical drugs on produce far outweigh the crop issues.”

Other Solutions and Long-term Outlook

Specialists recommend basic farming measures that should be implemented initially, such as increasing plant spacing, breeding more hardy types of produce and locating sick crops and quickly removing them to halt the infections from spreading.

The formal request gives the Environmental Protection Agency about 5 years to act. Several years ago, the organization banned chloropyrifos in reaction to a similar legal petition, but a judge blocked the agency's prohibition.

The regulator can implement a ban, or has to give a reason why it won’t. If the regulator, or a later leadership, declines to take action, then the groups can take legal action. The procedure could take more than a decade.

“We are pursuing the prolonged effort,” Donley concluded.