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A recent formal request from multiple public health and farm worker groups is calling for the Environmental Protection Agency to cease permitting the spraying of antimicrobial agents on food crops across the US, citing superbug proliferation and illnesses to agricultural workers.

Farming Sector Applies Millions of Pounds of Antimicrobial Crop Treatments

The agricultural sector uses approximately 8 million pounds of antimicrobial and fungicidal treatments on American plants each year, with a number of these chemicals restricted in international markets.

“Each year US citizens are at elevated threat from dangerous microbes and illnesses because human medicines are applied on crops,” said an environmental health director.

Superbug Threat Creates Major Public Health Risks

The widespread application of antibiotics, which are critical for combating medical conditions, as crop treatments on crops jeopardizes population health because it can result in superbug bacteria. Similarly, overuse of antifungal treatments can cause mycoses that are less treatable with currently available medical drugs.

• Drug-resistant illnesses impact about millions of Americans and lead to about 35,000 fatalities each year.
• Regulatory bodies have linked “therapeutically critical antimicrobials” approved for agricultural spraying to treatment failure, increased risk of staph infections and higher probability of antibiotic-resistant staph.

Ecological and Health Effects

Meanwhile, consuming chemical remnants on crops can disrupt the human gut microbiome and elevate the likelihood of long-term illnesses. These substances also contaminate aquatic systems, and are believed to damage insects. Often poor and Hispanic farm workers are most exposed.

Common Agricultural Antimicrobials and Industry Methods

Agricultural operations spray antibiotics because they kill microbes that can ruin or destroy crops. Among the most common antimicrobial treatments is a common antibiotic, which is often used in clinical treatment. Estimates indicate as much as 125k lbs have been applied on domestic plants in a annual period.

Citrus Industry Influence and Regulatory Action

The petition is filed as the EPA faces urging to expand the use of human antibiotics. The citrus plant illness, carried by the insect pest, is devastating citrus orchards in Florida.

“I recognize their urgent need because they’re in serious trouble, but from a broader perspective this is absolutely a no-brainer – it cannot happen,” the expert commented. “The fundamental issue is the enormous issues created by applying medical drugs on produce greatly exceed the farming challenges.”

Alternative Solutions and Future Prospects

Advocates recommend simple crop management actions that should be tried initially, such as increasing plant spacing, cultivating more robust varieties of produce and detecting diseased trees and rapidly extracting them to stop the infections from spreading.

The legal appeal allows the regulator about 5 years to respond. In the past, the agency outlawed a pesticide in response to a similar formal request, but a court blocked the agency's prohibition.

The organization can enact a restriction, or is required to give a justification why it will not. If the EPA, or a subsequent government, fails to respond, then the groups can sue. The procedure could require more than a decade.

“We’re playing the prolonged effort,” the advocate remarked.