Environmental Protection Agency Urged to Halt Spraying of Antimicrobial Drugs on US Food Crops Amidst Superbug Fears

A recent formal request from a dozen public health and farm worker organizations is urging the US environmental regulator to stop allowing the spraying of antimicrobial agents on produce across the United States, pointing to superbug proliferation and illnesses to farm laborers.

Farming Industry Sprays Large Quantities of Antibiotic Pesticides

The agricultural sector applies around 8m lbs of antibiotic and antifungal chemicals on US food crops every year, with a number of these chemicals banned in foreign countries.

“Annually Americans are at elevated danger from toxic bacteria and illnesses because pharmaceutical drugs are used on crops,” commented a public health advocate.

Superbug Threat Presents Serious Public Health Threats

The overuse of antibiotics, which are critical for combating infections, as crop treatments on produce endangers population health because it can lead to superbug bacteria. Likewise, frequent use of antifungal treatments can lead to mycoses that are harder to treat with present-day medical drugs.

• Treatment-resistant infections sicken about 2.8m individuals and lead to about 35,000 fatalities annually.
• Health agencies have associated “medically important antibiotics” approved for crop application to drug resistance, higher likelihood of bacterial illnesses and elevated threat of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Ecological and Health Consequences

Furthermore, ingesting antibiotic residues on food can disrupt the digestive system and raise the likelihood of long-term illnesses. These substances also contaminate water sources, and are considered to harm insects. Frequently low-income and Hispanic agricultural laborers are most exposed.

Frequently Used Antibiotic Pesticides and Agricultural Methods

Agricultural operations apply antimicrobials because they eliminate microbes that can harm or wipe out plants. One of the most common agricultural drugs is a medical drug, which is frequently used in healthcare. Estimates indicate up to significant quantities have been applied on US crops in a single year.

Agricultural Sector Lobbying and Regulatory Action

The petition coincides with the regulator faces pressure to increase the application of pharmaceutical drugs. The crop infection, transmitted by the vector, is destroying citrus orchards in the state of Florida.

“I appreciate their desperation because they’re in serious trouble, but from a public health perspective this is certainly a clear decision – it should not be allowed,” the expert commented. “The bottom line is the significant issues created by spraying medical drugs on food crops far outweigh the agricultural problems.”

Other Methods and Future Prospects

Advocates suggest simple farming measures that should be tested first, such as wider crop placement, developing more hardy varieties of plants and locating sick crops and rapidly extracting them to prevent the diseases from spreading.

The legal appeal gives the Environmental Protection Agency about 5 years to act. Several years ago, the agency outlawed a chemical in reaction to a comparable legal petition, but a judge overturned the regulatory action.

The regulator can enact a ban, or is required to give a explanation why it won’t. If the EPA, or a later leadership, fails to respond, then the organizations can file a lawsuit. The process could require many years.

“We are engaged in the extended strategy,” Donley concluded.