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A recent legal petition from a dozen public health and agricultural labor groups is urging the US environmental regulator to stop authorizing the application of antimicrobial agents on produce across the US, citing superbug spread and illnesses to agricultural workers.

Agricultural Sector Uses Large Quantities of Antibiotic Pesticides

The agricultural sector applies about 8 million pounds of antibiotic and antifungal chemicals on American plants annually, with many of these agents banned in international markets.

“Every year US citizens are at increased threat from toxic bacteria and infections because human medicines are applied on crops,” said Nathan Donley.

Superbug Threat Creates Significant Health Threats

The widespread application of antimicrobial drugs, which are essential for addressing infections, as agricultural chemicals on produce endangers public health because it can result in antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Similarly, excessive application of antifungal agent pesticides can cause mycoses that are less treatable with existing medical drugs.

• Antibiotic-resistant illnesses sicken about 2.8m people and lead to about thirty-five thousand fatalities each year.
• Health agencies have connected “clinically significant antimicrobials” approved for pesticide use to drug resistance, greater chance of staph infections and elevated threat of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Ecological and Health Impacts

Additionally, consuming drug traces on produce can alter the digestive system and increase the risk of persistent conditions. These agents also taint drinking water supplies, and are thought to affect insects. Typically poor and minority field workers are most vulnerable.

Common Agricultural Antimicrobials and Agricultural Methods

Agricultural operations apply antibiotics because they destroy microbes that can damage or wipe out plants. Among the most common antibiotic pesticides is a common antibiotic, which is often used in healthcare. Estimates indicate up to 125,000 pounds have been applied on US crops in a one year.

Agricultural Sector Influence and Regulatory Response

The legal appeal coincides with the EPA encounters pressure to widen the use of pharmaceutical drugs. The crop infection, spread by the insect pest, is destroying citrus orchards in the state of Florida.

“I recognize their desperation because they’re in serious trouble, but from a societal point of view this is absolutely a clear decision – it should not be allowed,” the expert said. “The key point is the massive issues generated by using pharmaceuticals on food crops significantly surpass the farming challenges.”

Alternative Methods and Future Outlook

Experts suggest basic agricultural steps that should be tried first, such as increasing plant spacing, cultivating more robust strains of produce and locating infected plants and quickly removing them to prevent the pathogens from spreading.

The petition provides the regulator about 5 years to respond. Several years ago, the organization prohibited a chemical in response to a similar formal request, but a court overturned the agency's prohibition.

The regulator can implement a restriction, or must give a reason why it will not. If the EPA, or a subsequent government, fails to respond, then the coalitions can take legal action. The legal battle could require many years.

“We’re playing the prolonged effort,” the expert stated.