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A newly filed regulatory appeal from twelve public health and agricultural labor groups is calling for the EPA to cease permitting the spraying of antibiotics on edible plants across the United States, citing antibiotic-resistant spread and health risks to agricultural workers.

Agricultural Sector Applies Large Quantities of Antimicrobial Crop Treatments

The agricultural sector applies approximately 8m lbs of antimicrobial and fungicidal pesticides on US plants each year, with a number of these chemicals restricted in foreign countries.

“Each year US citizens are at elevated threat from harmful microbes and infections because medical antibiotics are applied on produce,” commented an environmental health director.

Superbug Threat Presents Significant Public Health Dangers

The overuse of antibiotics, which are vital for treating medical conditions, as agricultural chemicals on fruits and vegetables endangers population health because it can cause superbug bacteria. Likewise, frequent use of antifungal treatments can lead to fungal diseases that are less treatable with existing pharmaceuticals.

• Antibiotic-resistant diseases impact about 2.8 million people and result in about thousands of fatalities annually.
• Regulatory bodies have connected “medically important antimicrobials” permitted for pesticide use to drug resistance, greater chance of pathogenic diseases and elevated threat of MRSA.

Ecological and Public Health Effects

Furthermore, ingesting drug traces on food can disturb the human gut microbiome and increase the risk of chronic diseases. These substances also contaminate aquatic systems, and are considered to harm insects. Often economically disadvantaged and Hispanic field workers are most at risk.

Common Agricultural Antimicrobials and Agricultural Practices

Growers apply antibiotics because they destroy microbes that can ruin or kill produce. Among the popular antibiotic pesticides is streptomycin, which is often used in healthcare. Estimates indicate up to 125k lbs have been applied on American produce in a single year.

Citrus Industry Influence and Government Response

The formal request is filed as the EPA faces pressure to widen the application of medical antimicrobials. The crop infection, carried by the vector, is destroying orange groves in Florida.

“I appreciate their critical situation because they’re in serious trouble, but from a broader standpoint this is certainly a no-brainer – it must not occur,” the advocate commented. “The bottom line is the enormous problems caused by spraying human medicine on food crops greatly exceed the farming challenges.”

Other Solutions and Long-term Prospects

Specialists suggest straightforward agricultural steps that should be tested before antibiotics, such as planting crops further apart, breeding more robust varieties of plants and identifying infected plants and promptly eliminating them to prevent the diseases from spreading.

The petition provides the regulator about 5 years to act. In the past, the organization outlawed a chemical in reaction to a comparable regulatory appeal, but a court reversed the agency's prohibition.

The organization can impose a ban, or is required to give a reason why it won’t. If the Environmental Protection Agency, or a later leadership, does not act, then the groups can file a lawsuit. The legal battle could take many years.

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