EPA Pressured to Ban Spraying of Antimicrobial Drugs on American Food Crops Amidst Superbug Fears
A newly filed legal petition from a dozen public health and farm worker groups is urging the EPA to discontinue permitting the use of antibiotics on food crops across the US, pointing to superbug proliferation and health risks to farm laborers.
Agricultural Sector Applies Substantial Amounts of Antimicrobial Pesticides
The crop production applies approximately substantial volumes of antibiotic and antifungal chemicals on US produce annually, with many of these agents restricted in international markets.
“Annually the public are at greater danger from toxic pathogens and infections because medical antibiotics are used on crops,” commented an environmental health director.
Antibiotic Resistance Presents Serious Health Risks
The overuse of antimicrobial drugs, which are critical for combating infections, as crop treatments on fruits and vegetables threatens public health because it can cause antibiotic-resistant pathogens. In the same way, overuse of antifungal agent treatments can lead to fungal diseases that are more resistant with present-day medical drugs.
- Antibiotic-resistant diseases impact about 2.8 million Americans and result in about 35,000 fatalities per year.
- Public health organizations have associated “medically important antimicrobials” approved for agricultural spraying to antibiotic resistance, greater chance of pathogenic diseases and higher probability of MRSA.
Environmental and Health Effects
Meanwhile, eating drug traces on crops can disrupt the digestive system and raise the risk of long-term illnesses. These chemicals also contaminate drinking water supplies, and are considered to damage bees. Frequently economically disadvantaged and Hispanic farm workers are most exposed.
Common Antibiotic Pesticides and Agricultural Practices
Growers use antimicrobials because they destroy pathogens that can harm or kill crops. Among the most frequently used agricultural drugs is streptomycin, which is commonly used in medical care. Data indicate as much as 125k lbs have been sprayed on US crops in a single year.
Agricultural Sector Influence and Government Action
The legal appeal comes as the EPA faces pressure to increase the utilization of medical antimicrobials. The crop infection, transmitted by the insect pest, is devastating orange groves in southeastern US.
“I understand their urgent need because they’re in serious trouble, but from a public health perspective this is certainly a no-brainer – it should not be allowed,” the expert commented. “The bottom line is the enormous issues generated by spraying human medicine on food crops significantly surpass the agricultural problems.”
Other Solutions and Future Prospects
Advocates propose straightforward agricultural measures that should be tried initially, such as increasing plant spacing, cultivating more hardy strains of produce and locating diseased trees and promptly eliminating them to stop the diseases from transmitting.
The formal request gives the regulator about 5 years to respond. Previously, the regulator prohibited a chemical in reaction to a comparable formal request, but a legal authority blocked the EPA’s ban.
The regulator can enact a restriction, or is required to give a justification why it won’t. If the regulator, or a future administration, fails to respond, then the groups can file a lawsuit. The process could take many years.
“We’re playing the prolonged effort,” the expert stated.
