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A recent legal petition from multiple health advocacy and farm worker groups is calling for the US environmental regulator to stop authorizing the use of antimicrobial agents on produce across the United States, pointing to superbug proliferation and health risks to farm laborers.

Agricultural Sector Applies Millions of Pounds of Antibiotic Pesticides

The crop production applies about substantial volumes of antimicrobial and fungicidal pesticides on US food crops each year, with many of these agents restricted in other nations.

“Every year Americans are at greater risk from harmful bacteria and infections because pharmaceutical drugs are sprayed on plants,” said an environmental health director.

Superbug Threat Presents Significant Health Threats

The overuse of antimicrobial drugs, which are vital for combating human disease, as crop treatments on fruits and vegetables threatens public health because it can cause drug-resistant microbes. Similarly, frequent use of antifungal pesticides can create mycoses that are less treatable with existing pharmaceuticals.

• Antibiotic-resistant infections impact about 2.8 million people and cause about 35,000 mortalities annually.
• Regulatory bodies have connected “therapeutically critical antimicrobials” approved for crop application to treatment failure, greater chance of pathogenic diseases and higher probability of antibiotic-resistant staph.

Environmental and Public Health Effects

Additionally, eating drug traces on crops can disturb the human gut microbiome and raise the risk of persistent conditions. These chemicals also contaminate water sources, and are considered to damage pollinators. Frequently poor and Hispanic agricultural laborers are most exposed.

Frequently Used Antibiotic Pesticides and Industry Methods

Agricultural operations spray antimicrobials because they kill microbes that can harm or kill plants. One of the most frequently used agricultural drugs is a common antibiotic, which is often used in healthcare. Figures indicate up to significant quantities have been sprayed on US crops in a annual period.

Agricultural Sector Lobbying and Regulatory Response

The formal request is filed as the Environmental Protection Agency faces urging to increase the application of medical antimicrobials. The crop infection, spread by the insect pest, is destroying citrus orchards in southeastern US.

“I understand their critical situation because they’re in difficult circumstances, but from a broader perspective this is certainly a clear decision – it should not be allowed,” the expert said. “The bottom line is the enormous problems generated by using pharmaceuticals on produce far outweigh the crop issues.”

Other Methods and Future Prospects

Advocates suggest simple crop management measures that should be tried before antibiotics, such as increasing plant spacing, developing more robust strains of produce and identifying diseased trees and quickly removing them to stop the pathogens from spreading.

The formal request gives the EPA about half a decade to respond. Previously, the agency outlawed a pesticide in reaction to a parallel legal petition, but a court overturned the agency's prohibition.

The organization can impose a prohibition, or is required to give a reason why it will not. If the EPA, or a subsequent government, does not act, then the groups can file a lawsuit. The process could take more than a decade.

“We are engaged in the long game,” the expert concluded.